TNPL 2016: Dindigul Dragons ease through to the playoffs, following 7-wicket win over Karaikudi Kaalai

TNPL 2016: DD ease through to the playoffs, following 7-wicket win over KK

Dindigul Dragons marched into the semifinals of the TNPL as they earned comprehensive seven-wicket win over Karaikudi Kaalai at the NPR College Ground in Natham on Sunday. Both teams now have a game more to play in the league stage. Kaalai, who won the toss and chose to bat, got off to a slow start as they lost both the openers in the power-play. Anirudha Srikkanth was top-scorer with 36 runs and skipper S Badrinath, who scored 27, tried to resuscitate the Kaalai innings with a steady 36-ball 30-run partnership in the middle overs. Badrinath was later dismissed by Murugan Ashwin as he hit a shot right into the latter’s hands. ALSO READ: TNPL 2016, Dindugul Dragons vs Karaikudai Kaalai, Preview and Predictions: Dragons face red-hot Kaalai

Kaalai hit a roadblock post the loss of Badrinath and lost wickets at regular intervals. Though Srikkanth tried to accelerate the innings still Kaalai never looked good enough to score a big total. Their lower-order had no answers to T Natarajan’s figures of 4 for 21 and his Yorkers which yielded wickets in the death overs. Even Murugan’s figures of 3 for 30 had a good match as he tormented Kaalai to no end. Kaalai could only manage 125 for 9 after losing wickets on regular intervals. Dragons, who tweaked their batting line-up, lost the wicket of skipper Subramanium Siva to Chandrasekar Ganapathy, thus giving Kaalai hope.

Jagadeesan was Ganapathy’s next victim after the former hit a shot straight to Suresh Babu at mid-on. But Ganga Sridhar Raju and Wilkins Victor stitched a partnership of 89 from deliveries 59, and ensured that Dragons were on their way to the semi-finals. Both batsmen completed half centuries and made sure that Dragons, who crossed the finish line with 21 balls to spare, became the first team to qualify for the semi-final.

Ravichandran Ashwin was benched out for this game. In the match held on Thursday played between Dragons and Chepauk Super Gilles, R Ashwin almost got involved on a street fight. The incident happened when the bowler picked up a wicket in the high-voltage clash and then exchanged a few words with him and even got physical.

The match was evenly contested one, in which the Gillies beat Ashwin-led Dragons by six runs. During the tight run chase, Gillies spinner R Sai Kishore dismissed Dragons batsman N Jagadeesan, who while trying to go after the bowler got caught by Antony Dhas at short third-man. After the dismissal, both the batsman as well as the bowler got into a verbal spat which turned physical when Kishore pushed N Jagadeesan. This did not go down well with R Ashwin, who was present at the non-striker end. The Team India off-spinner rushed to intervene and stopped his teammate Jagadeesan who wanted to give it back to Kishore. ALSO READ: Watch a ‘furious’ Ravichandran Ashwin play mediator as street fight breaks out in TNPL match

Batting first, the Gillies scored 172 for the loss of 6 wickets from their stipulated overs. In reply, Ashwin’s Dragons faltered at the end despite his valiant 23-ball 49, which included four sixes and as many fours. Ashwin, whose side ended up on the losing side, did play a veteran’s role in the match when he tried to break the feud and vented his anger.

Dragons have always maintained their game and this proved to be the turning point to qualify for the semi-final. N Jagadeesan did not prove to be the main man for Dragons every match. This time around he was not at his best.

But Raju was the talk of the match. He achieved his fifty comfortably and was the leader of person who took his side to victory. Natarajan’s yorkers continued to confuse the batsmen as he has been doing all these while. Despite the absence of R Ashwin, the other Ashwin did his part in this crucial must-win match.

Dragons over came their fear of middle-order collapse to finish off the game. They have easily gone past the defeat against Gillies.

In contrast, even Yadav has not been effective for Kaalai. Kaalai had ended the tour for Lyca Kovai Kings in their previous match with the help of their skipper Badrinath’s fifty. It was once again Anirudha who helped push the target for Kaalai for 160.

Crucially involved in two vital partnerships with Vishal Vaidya and S Aniruda, the skipper scored 53 runs of 46 balls. S Aniruda was dropped on four at long on by M Mohammed and he made the most of the life as he took on the bowlers of the Kings. The Kovai bowlers found it difficult to pick up wickets and their below par effort in the field cost them dearly. M Mohammed picked up three wickets while K Vignesh pitched in with two. Thirteen boundaries and six maximums were scored.

The Kovai run chase started with Anirudh Sita Ram taking the attack to the Karaikudi bowlers. He especially took a liking to the left-arm orthodox bowling of Mohan Prasath and hit him for two sixes in an over. A flurry of wickets fell cheaply as Suresh Babu trapped L Suryaprakash early and Tarun Srinivas holed out to mid-on while R Rohith was run out of a direct throw from short fine leg. ALSO READ: Vijay, Ashwin and others picked in TNPL 2016 draft

Yadav’s medium pacers wreaked havoc against their opponents not only was he economical but picked up four wickets as well. The Kovai tail wagged and scored the highest partnership of the innings.

Kaalai’s Anirudha has been backed by coach Robin Singh and as Anirudha said, “All the experience bodes well if the team gels together.” Now with Kaalai will have to go all out if they want to break through the play-offs.

Brief scores:

Karaikudi Kaalai 125 for 9 in 20 overs (Srikkanth Anirudha 36; T Natarajan 4 for 21, Murugan Ashwin 3 for 30) lost to Dindigul Dragons 126 for 3 in 16.3 overs (Sridhar Raju 56*, Wilkins Victor 50; Ganga Ganapathy Chandrasekar 2 for 23) by seven wickets.