Top knock: Jaffer’s 27-ball 39 proved crucial in the run chase.
| Photo Credit: SHAIKMOHIDEEN A
Trichy Grand Cholas kicked off the weekend in style, defeating Nellai Royal Kings by four wickets in the third leg of the Tamil Nadu Premier League at the India Cements ground here on Saturday.
Chasing a target of 178, Cholas’ Jaffer Jamal (39, 27b, 1×4, 3×6) and Shyam Sundar (31, 25b, 3×4, 1×6) made the most of dropped catches. The duo added 51 runs for the fourth wicket to power their side home. The win took the Trichy team to second on the points table.
Earlier, Nellai Royal Kings skipper K.B. Arun Karthik’s regal knock (84, 51b, 10×4, 2×6) propelled his side to 177 for nine after being put in.
Nellai lost opener R.S. Mokit Hariharan in the second over and G. Ajitesh in the third. The latter lost his off-stump to a superb delivery from P. Saravanakumar, which pitched on off and came back. However, Arun Karthik stepped up under pressure, scoring boundaries on either side of the wicket. He was involved in two crucial partnerships — 38 for the third wicket with Nidhish Rajagopal and 48 for the fourth with Rithik Easwaran.
Just when Royals Kings were on the verge of breaking the shackles, Trichy skipper Antony Dhas dismissed Nidhish in the seventh over. Sonu Yadav walked in and smashed two massive sixes before holing out in the deep.
Arun Karthik provided the final flourish scoring 15 runs off Athisayaraj Davidson in the 18th over. It included a huge six over extra-cover and two boundaries down the ground past the bowler.
Saravanakumar dismissed him in the 19th over and finished with an impressive haul of four for 34.
The scores: Nellai Royal Kings 177/9 in 20 overs (K.B. Arun Karthik 84, P. Saravanakumar 4/30, Athisayaraj Davidson 2/37, Antony Dhas 2/28) lost to Trichy Grand Cholas 182/6 in 19.3 overs (S. Shyam Sundar 31, Jaffer Jamal 39, R. Rajkumar 31). Toss: Trichy.
