Rovers beats Trotters by 5 wickets, retains VAP Trophy to do double

CHENNAI: Sonu Yadav delivered an all-round performance as Jolly Rovers CC retained the VAP Trophy (TNCA First Division white-ball) by defeating Globe Trotters SC by five wickets in the 2022-23 final at the IIT-M Chemplast Ground here on Sunday.

Medium pacers Sonu (3/14) and P Saravana Kumar (3/34) scalped three wickets each to help Rovers bundle Trotters out for a mere 134 after it decided to field first.

In the chase, Sonu (26 off 21 balls, 2 fours, 1 six) was the third highest scorer for Rovers that got past the finish line in the 31st over. With the victory, the Kaushik Gandhi-led Rovers, which recently clinched the Rajah of Palayampatti Shield (TNCA First Division red-ball), completed a double this season.

In the first essay, four of the top-five Trotters batters were dismissed for single digits (three were out for ducks), with Saravana causing major damage. Dhruv Patel (26) and S Radhakrishnan (25) were the only batters to cross the 20-run mark for Trotters, which avoided embarrassment by breaching the 100-run barrier. Sonu impressed in the second half of the innings and ensured Rovers had one hand on the trophy at the half-way stage.

Chasing just 135 runs for the title, Rovers lost Kaushik (2) early but got the job done, thanks to useful contributions from No.3 Baba Aparajith (41 not out off 82 balls), opening batter B Sai Sudharsan (30 off 37 balls, 3 fours) and No.6 Sonu.

The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) president P Ashok Sigamani was the chief guest and handed over the prizes in the presentation ceremony.

BRIEF SCORES: Final: At IIT-M Chemplast Ground: Globe Trotters SC 134 in 41.2 overs (S Radhakrishnan 25, Dhruv Patel 26, P Saravana Kumar 3/34, Sonu Yadav 3/14) lost to Jolly Rovers CC 135/5 in 30.5 overs (B Sai Sudharsan 30, Baba Aparajith 41*, Ankeet Bawane 25, Sonu Yadav 26, Dhruv Patel 2/36, S Lakshay Jain 2/36).

AWARDS: Winner – Jolly Rovers CC (received trophy and cash award of Rs 1 lakh); Runner-up – Globe Trotters SC (trophy and cash award of Rs 50,000); Man of the final – Sonu Yadav of Jolly Rovers CC (trophy and cash award of Rs 5,000)