CHENNAI: Defending champions Chepauk Super Gillies registered a comfortable 8-wicket win over Dindigul Dragons in their TNPL-5 Qualifier 2 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday and made the final where they face Ruby Trichy Warriors.
Chepauk’s victory was set up by their bowlers left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore (3-14) being the wrecker-in-chief who dismissed Dindigul for 103 before skipper Kaushik Gandhi’s (53, 7x4, 1x6) innings helped them cross the finish line in 16 overs.
A below-par target of 104 was never going to test Chepauk. Openers N Jagadeesan (21, 2x4) and Kaushik laid the foundation with their 69-run opening wicket stand in 9.3 overs before the former departed. The two got off to a quiet start managing just 23 runs from the first 5 overs.
However, Chepauk’s chase gathered steam in the 6th over when Kaushik smashed left-arm spinner M Silambarasan (0-24) for 22 runs 4 back-to-back boundaries followed by a six.
Kaushik brought his fifty off 36 deliveries in the 12th over. By the time Kaushik got out --- in the 13th over Chepauk were just 17 away from the target. S Radhakrishnan (16 n.o., 1x4) and U Sasidev (13 n.o., 1x6) then ensured Chepauk wrapped things up with 24 balls to spare.
Earlier, Chepauk’s slow-ball bowlers called the shots in the first half of play. Left-arm spinner trio Sai Kishore, R Alexander (2-3) and M Siddharth (1-17) and offie B Arun (1-28) tested the Dindigul batsmen with the tidy line and length.
Sai Kishore began Dindigul’s slide in the 5th over when his twin strikes debutant Vimal Khumar (11) and No. 3 Mani Bharathi (0) left them at 23 for 2.
Chepauk bowlers maintained a tight leash on the Dindigul batsmen. Chepauk’s job was made easier as most Dindigul batsmen either got out to ill-timed shots or suffered soft dismissals.
Dindigul skipper Hari Nishaanth (56, 2x4, 4x6) was the only batsmen to put up a fight. During his 46-ball knock, Hari Nishaanth became the tournament’s leading run-getter this season with 368 runs.
Once Hari Nishaanth departed in the 14th over caught by Sai Kishore off medium-pacer Harish Kumar (1-16) the rest of the side caved in as the last five wickets fell for the addition of just 20 runs.
Brief scores: Dindigul Dragons 103 in 20 overs (Hari Nishaanth 56; Sai Kishore 3-14, Alexandar 2-3, M Siddharth 1-17, Harish Kumar 1-16). Chepauk Super Gillies 106-2 in 16 overs (Kaushik Gandhi 53, N Jagadeesan 21). Chepauk Super Gillies won by 8 wkts
