Chennai: Siechem Madurai Panthers (SMP) put their Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) campaign back on track with a nail-biting victory in the Super Over after their duel against Ruby Trichy Warriors (RTW) ended in a tie at the NPR College Ground, Dindigul, Wednesday.
RTW rode on Vijay’s unbeaten 78 off 66 balls (8 fours and 2 sixes) to raise 142-6 in 20 overs and then their bowlers did well to force a tie by restricting SMP to 142-6 in 20 overs.
In the resultant Super Over, SMP all-rounder Abhishek Tanwar stole the show by smashing two sixes and then dismissing both RTW batsmen Murali Vijay (0) and Mani Bharathy (1) to seal the victory by one-over eliminator.
K B Karthick was out for the first ball bowled by medium-pacer P Saravana Kumar but Tanwar smashed two sixes before getting out on the fourth ball to set a target of 13 for RTW. But they could only muster 3 runs and lost both wickets in six balls. There appears to be some connection between Murali Vijay and tied-matches this season. Both the matches that he has played have ended in tie and defeat for his team.
While SMP rose to the fourth spot in the eight-team standing with their second victory in four matches, RTW continued to search for their first victory after four matches.
While SMP appeared to be cruising at 81-2 after nine overs, Karthick had set them up with a fluent 26-ball 46 (7 fours, 1 six). But medium-pacer Lakshminarayan Vignesh set the cat among the pigeons with a double strike in the 10th over. Karthick trying to loft the ball over his head holed out to Mukunth at long on and off the next ball, SMP captain Shijit Chandran (12) edged a length ball to the keeper.
SMP suddenly were four down for 81 with two new batsmen at the crease, needing another 62 runs from 64 balls. Jagatheesan Kousik kept them in the hunt compiling the runs with some sensible batting.
But Vignesh was not finished yet as he returned to trap all-rounder Abhishek Tanwar (1) lbw. It was a superb comeback by the 30-year-old bowler, who had been hit for 17 runs in his first over by Karthick.
In his next three overs he took three wickets (3-0-11-3) to finish with 3-28 from his four overs.
With Kousik going strong at the other end, SMP appeared to hold the edge as they needed 12 runs from the last 12 balls. But Saravana Kumar (4-0-21-1) conceded just four runs in the 19th over to leave Kousik and Ramachandran Mithun eight to get from the final six balls.
Left-arm spinner M S Sanjay, playing his first match of the season, did not give away any easy runs and the equation was down to one run from the last ball. The onus was on Mithun to bail SMP out but Sanjay fired a fuller delivery outside the off-stump which the batsman missed leading to a tie.
Kousik, who had done all hard yards, was stranded on (35 not out off 33b, 4 fours) while Mithun was not out on 12 off 15 balls (1 four).
Both teams stay put at the NPR College ground, Natham, Dindigul, for their next games. Siechem Madurai Panthers will meet Lyca Kovai Kings Friday (2 August) while Ruby Trichy Warriors run into table leaders Dindigul Dragons Saturday (3 August).
Brief scores:
Ruby Trichy Warriors 142-6 in 20 overs (Murali Vijay 78 not out, K Mukunth 32, Mani Bharathy 21; Kiran Akash 2/33, Rahil Shah 2/17) tied Siechem Madurai Panthers 142-6 in 20 overs (K B Arun Karthick 46, Jagatheesan Kousik 35 not out; Lakshminarayan Vignesh 3-28, P Saravana Kumar 1-21).
Super Over:
SMP 12/2 (Abhishek Tanwar 12, P Saravana Kumar 2/12) beat Ruby Trichy Warriors 3/2 (Abhishek Tanwar 2/3) by one over eliminator.