The start of the business end of TNPL-10 turned out to be a damp squib as rain played spoilsport in the Qualifier 1 clash between Madurai Panthers and Trichy Grand Cholas. The game was abandoned after two interruptions at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Sunday.

The 2018 champion booked its place in the summit clash to be held on Friday, thanks to its top-of-the-table finish.

Though both sides earned 10 points in the league stage, Panthers had a better Net Run Rate (0.548) compared to Grand Cholas’ 0.095.

In this context, Panthers’ thumping 72-run win over Nellai Royal Kings in its last league match on Saturday helped the B. Anirudh Sita Ram-led outfit leapfrog Grand Cholas in the standings.

Earlier on Sunday evening, the Madurai team opted to field, and only 2.5 overs were possible before rain stopped the proceedings with Grand Cholas at 25 for one.

Play resumed two hours later, and after just two more overs, the heavens opened up again to bring the curtains down for the night.

The scores: Trichy Grand Cholas 49/1 in 4.5 overs (K. Rajkumar 38 n.o.) vs. Madurai Panthers.

Monday’s match (Eliminator): Vida Kovai Kings vs. iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans (7.30 p.m.).

The TNPL’s PIN code shifting to the State capital from Dindigul brought out the best in the Trichy Grand Cholas batters. Grand Cholas, after getting shot out for 85 and suffering an abysmal 116-run loss to Vida Kovai Kings at Dindigul, racked up 197 for four against Dindigul Dragons at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Wednesday.

The 199-run chase (DLS target) proved too steep for Dragons as their effort ended at 170 for eight in 19 overs. The Tiruchi outfit’s 28-run win was built on the solid 118-run stand between openers K. Rajkumar (71, 42b, 9×4, 3×6) and J. Suresh Kumar (60, 41b, 7×4, 3×6).

After Grand Cholas were asked to bat, K. Rajkumar was hitting boundaries for fun until the heavens opened up 15 minutes into the game. The 45-minute delay meant the game was reduced to 19 overs per side.

Suresh, who was trudging along, pressed on the accelerator before being caught in the deep off P. Bhuvaneswaran. Viju Arul sending back K. Rajkumar and R. Rajkumar briefly halted the run-scoring spree, but Jafar Jamal (21, 9b, 3×6) took the team close to the 200-run mark.

Later, Shivam Singh (47, 28b, 8×4) and B. Indrajith (32, 22b, 4×4, 1×6) kept the game interesting with a 43-ball 73-run stand for the second wicket. However, once Antony Dhas (three for 25) made amends for dropping Shivam by removing Indrajith and the opener, the DD innings went off the rails. K. Easwaran (four for 25) wrapped up a much-needed victory.

The scores:

Trichy Grand Cholas 197/4 in 19 overs (K. Rajkumar 71, J. Suresh Kumar 60, Sanjay Yadav 33 n.o., Viju Arul 2/30) bt Dindigul Dragons 170/8 in 19 overs (Shivam Singh 47, B. Indrajith 32, R.K. Jayant (Impact Player) 34 n.o., K. Easwaran 4/25, Antony Dhas 3/25); DLS target 199 in 19 overs.

Thursday’s matches: Madurai Panthers vs. iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans (3.30 p.m.); Nellai Royal Kings vs. SKM Salem Spartans (7.30 p.m.).

A special occasion demanded special performances.

In the 100th Tamil Nadu Premier League match hosted at the NPR College ground here, top-order batter B. Sachin (77, 45b, 6×4, 4×6) and leg-spinner Jhathavedh Subramanyan (4-0-10-3) joined the party as Vida Kovai Kings thumped Trichy Grand Cholas by 116 runs on Saturday.

Chasing 202, Grand Cholas were jolted early as medium-pacer Deeban Lingesh sent back skipper-opener J. Suresh Kumar for a duck in the first over. Left-arm spinner M. Siddharth dismissed Shyam Sundar, the centurion from the previous game, before Deeban returned to castle J. Kousik.

Kovai Kings went from strength to strength, with Jhathavedh disturbing Bhavan Suriya’s furniture to leave Grand Cholas reeling at 40 for four in the daunting chase.

Opener K. Rajkumar (32) was handed a reprieve in the eighth over when C. Andre Siddarth put him down at long-on off Prashid Akash. The debutant, however, found joy as he ended Jafar Jamal’s stay soon after.

Jhathavedh came back to remove K. Rajkumar, who could not capitalise on his ‘life’, and Antony Dhas to have the Trichy outfit staring down the barrel at 59 for seven.

R.S. Ambrish soon joined in the celebration, dismissing R. Rajkumar and Ganesh Moorthi as Shahrukh Khan’s Kovai Kings finally broke free of their three-match losing streak. Earlier, after the Kovai side was asked to bat, Sachin held the innings together while finding an able ally in Madhava Prasad (38 n.o.). The pair added 75 off 43 balls for the sixth wicket as Kovai Kings went past the 200-mark.

The scores: Vida Kovai Kings 201/6 in 20 overs (B. Sachin 77, Madhava Prasad 38 n.o., K. Easwaran 2/41) bt Trichy Grand Cholas 85 in 16.1 overs (K. Rajkumar 32, K. Deeban Lingesh 3/24, Jhathavedh Subramanyan 3/10, R.S. Ambrish 2/22).

The weather gods briefly halted the proceedings in the battle between the Kings at the NPR College Ground on Thursday.

But once the rain relented, S. Rithik Easwaran weathered the Vida Kovai Kings storm with a sensational 69 off 31 balls (4×4, 6×6), helping Nellai Royal Kings overcome a mid-innings wobble and win by two wickets in a Tamil Nadu Premier League thriller.

The Royal Kings’ 163-run chase stuttered at the start as left-arm spinner M. Siddharth struck in the second over, dismissing Santhosh Kumar.

Deeban Lingesh removed the other opener, S.R. Athish, in the third over before G. Ajitesh and U. Mukilesh looked to repair the damage. Ajitesh smashed G. Kishoor for a six but was caught off the very next ball in the eighth over, the pacer holding a sharp return catch to break a 38-run stand.

Mukilesh soon followed him to the dugout while Jhathavedh Subramanyan castled debutant Sachin Sre Dev as the Nellai outfit slipped to 92 for five. Deeban piled more misery, striking twice in the 17th over and leaving Royal Kings in trouble.

Rithik, however, refused to throw in the towel. With 17 needed off the final over, he smacked Kishoor for two huge sixes before Sachin Rathi scampered through for a bye to seal a dramatic victory with a ball to spare.

Earlier, V. Yudheeswaran’s three for 25 and Rathi’s two for 30 kept the Kovai side in check.

In the other match, Shyam Sundar’s unbeaten 104 (57b, 8×4, 7×6) set up Trichy Grand Cholas’ 17-run win over iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans. Opener Tushar Raheja’s 87, his third half-century of the edition, went in vain.

The scores: Vida Kovai Kings 162/9 in 20 overs (B. Sachin 42, Emmanuel Cherian 2/37, Sachin Rathi 2/30, V. Yudheeswaran 3/25) lost to Nellai Royal Kings 163/8 in 19.5 overs (S. Rithik Easwaran 69, Deeban Lingesh 3/41, G. Kishoor 3/32). Trichy Grand Cholas 196/6 in 20 overs (K. Rajkumar 37, Shyam Sundar 104 n.o., T. Natarajan 2/32) bt iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans 179/8 in 20 overs (Tushar Raheja 87, Pradosh Ranjan Paul 44, Athisayaraj Davidson 2/24, K. Easwaran 3/24, Sanjay Yadav 2/28).

Friday’s matches: SKM Salem Spartans vs. Dindigul Dragons, 3.30 p.m.; Madurai Panthers vs. Chepauk Super Gillies, 7.30 p.m.