Salman Nizar’s blazing knock steals a win from Tigers

Akshay Chandran’s dream spell (4/9) carried Alleppey Ripples to a 52-run win over Trivandrum Royals in the KCL on Thursday.

Salman Nizar’s blazing knock of 73 not out helped Calicut Globstars pull off a heist against Kochi Blue Tigers in the KCL on Thursday.

Thiruvananthapuram:

For the second successive night Kochi Blue Tigers was robbed of a win by an individual brilliance of a batter. After Sachin Baby’s incredible one man show on Wednesday it was Salman Nizar’s turn to pull off a heist against the Tigers. Salman’s blazing knock 73 not out (41balls, 4×3, 6×6) saw Globstars win by three wickets with one ball to spare.

With 21 needed off the final over from left arm spinner P.S. Jerin, Salman carted him for three successive sixes. Salman enjoyed a life when Saly Samson dropped him at midwicket and scampered a two and took a single to finish the match. Chasing 170, Globstars was in dumps when it was reduced to 79 for six. However, Salman and M. Nikhil (27) revived the chase with a 61-run stand for the seventh wicket.

Shoun Roger translated his potential into performance as his standout knock of 73 not out (38b, 7×4, 5×6) pitch forked Blue Tigers to 169 for four. Shoun added 54 runs, off 18 balls, for the fifth wicket with T.Nikhil 30 not out (12b 4×2, 6×2) as Tigers plundered 74 runs off the final five overs to set a daunting task for Globstars on a dicey wicket.

Earlier, Alleppey Ripples snapped its losing streak by ending Trivandrum Royal’s unbeaten run with a 52-run. Ripples defended the lowest total (125/7) in a winning cause in the tournament after it bundled out Royals for 73.

On a surface which afforded generous help to spinners, Akshay Chandran spun a web around the Royal batters, scalping four for nine in his four overs. His victims included the prize scalp of Abdul Basith whose ill-advised reverse sweep ended in a catch to wicketkeeper Azharuddeen. Earlier, Mohammed Azharuddeen’s aggressive stint (34 off 23 balls) at the crease gave Ripples a breezy start. But Azharuddeen’s dismissal saw Ripples slump from 51 for one to 97 for eight in the 18^th over. But Atul Diamond (22 not out) and Fanoos (7 not out) added 28 runs in the last two overs to enable Ripples finish on a high.

The scores

Alleppey Ripples 125/7 in 20 overs (Krishna Prasad 37, Mohammed Azharuddeen 24, Abdul Basith 2/6, M.U. Harikrishnan 2/19) bt Trivandrum Royals 73 in 16.5 overs (Akshay Chandran 4/9, Fanoos 2/18, Afrad Reshab 2/20).

Kochi Blue Tigers 169/4 in 20 overs (Shoun Roger 73 n.o., T.Nikhil 30 n.o., Rahaan Raheem 2/9) bt Calicut Globstars 170/7 in 19.5 overs (Salman Nizar 73 n.o., Shine John Jacob 3/25)