TNPL 2021: Match 17, Review: Nellai Royal Kings, Madurai Panthers forced to share points

Chennai, July 31: Nellai Royal Kings and Siechem Madurai had to settle for a point each after their Shriram Capital Tamil Nadu Premier League match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here on Saturday was abandoned due to rain. Both teams are placed at the bottom of the table with four points each from four games.

Madurai were 144-8 after 19.2 overs when rain played spoilsport. The Nellai bowlers had done a good job of restricting the opposition after their captain Baba Aparajith won the toss and decided to field.

Anirudh Sita Ram plays a decent hand

Pacer Athisayaraj (2-17), spinners NS Harish (1-12), Sanjay Yadav (1-23) and Aparajith (1-7) shared the bowling honours.

No.3 B Anirudh Sita Ram (51 off 42 balls, 2 fours, 2 sixes), who notched Madurai’s first fifty of the season, was the top scorer followed by captain NS Chaturved (37 off 21 balls, 5 fours, 1 six) and opener KB Arun Karthik (26 off 22 balls, 4 fours). Barring these three none of the others could reach double figures.

Both Royal Kings and Panthers are placed in the bottom half of the points table. Both sides have won out of their four matches. But with a net run rate of -1.202, the Royal Kings are placed below the Panthers. They need to get back to winning ways to make their way into the top four of the table. At the present point in time, the Dindigul Dragons are atop the points table with six points from four games.

Brief scores:

Siechem Madurai Panthers 144-8 in 19.2 overs (Anirudh B 51, Chaturved 37, Arun Karthick 26; Athisayaraj 2-17, B Aparajith 1-7, Sanjay Yadav 1-23, NS Harish 1-12) vs Nellai Royal Kings

Toss: Nellai Royal Kings, chose to field.

Debutants: V Gowtham (SMP), P Praveen Kumar (SMP)

Points: Siechem Madurai Panthers – 1, Nellai Royal Kings -1.

Umpires: G R Sadashiv Iyer, M G Saidharshan Kumar

Third umpire: K Raghuram

Match Referee: Vijeylaxmi Narsimhan

Sunday’s match

Salem Spartans vs Ruby Trichy Warriors at 3:30 pm.

Chepauk Super Gillies vs Dindigul Dragons at 7:30 pm.

Live on

Star Sports Tamil, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 2HD, Disney+ Hotstar from 3:30 pm and 7:30 pm.