Sai Kishore sizzles as Chepauk seals play-off spot with win

CHENNAI: Left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore weaved his magic at the Salem Cricket Foundation Ground as Chepauk Super Gillies qualified for the Tamil Nadu Premier League play-offs for a third successive season with a 60-run win over iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans on Friday.

In its seventh and final round-robin match, double defending champion Chepauk posted a challenging 133 for nine on a traditionally slow surface. Chasing 134 to keep its top-four hopes alive, Tiruppur was undone by Sai Kishore, who delivered the most economical spell in TNPL history – 4-3-2-4. Pacer Sandeep Warrier (3/20 off 4 overs) joined the party with a hat-trick as Tamizhans was bundled out for a meagre 73 in 19.3 overs.

Having notched up its fifth successive victory, CSG (10 points from 7 matches) is all but assured of a top-two spot, thanks to its excellent net run rate. Siechem Madurai Panthers (8 points from 6 matches) joined Chepauk and Nellai Royal Kings in the play-offs while Tiruppur (6 points from 7 matches) is all but out of TNPL Season 6 post the defeat.

Invited to bat first, Super Gillies was in trouble at 65 for six in the 13th over. But, U Sasidev (45 not out off 29 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) and Harish Kumar (16) added 35 runs for the seventh wicket to take the total to 100. The left-handed Sasidev struck a few lusty blows in the end overs as Chepauk reached 133 for nine, an above-par score according to Tamizhans skipper and opening batter Aniruda Srikkanth.

In the second essay, Sai Kishore spun a web around the Tiruppur batters, accounting for S Aravind (10), R Rajkumar (0), Francis Rokins (8) and Aswin Crist (0). Warrier removed Tushar Raheja (11) and Suresh Kumar (0) off back-to-back deliveries in the 12th over, and completed his hat-trick in the first ball of the 19th over by dismissing M Mohammed (4).

“I had to take up the responsibility. I just wanted to compete, play well and play hard. Pleased with the result,” said Sai Kishore, the ‘Man of the Match’.

BRIEF SCORES: Chepauk Super Gillies 133/9 in 20 overs (U Sasidev 45*, Aswin Crist 3/30) bt iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans 73 in 19.3 overs (R Sai Kishore 4/2, Sandeep Warrier 3/20)