Suryapprakash, Sita Ram power Kovai Kings home

Needing 19 off 12 balls, R. Rohith hit two consecutive sixes off Sunil Sam to ease the pressure, and later went on score the winning runs in the final over.

Published : Jul 23, 2017 23:29 IST , TIRUNELVELI

L. Suryapprakash (60, 49b, 6x4, 1x6), who was dropped on five by R. Sonu Yadav, was instrumental in setting up a six-wicket win over Karaikudi Kaalai.
L. Suryapprakash (60, 49b, 6x4, 1x6), who was dropped on five by R. Sonu Yadav, was instrumental in setting up a six-wicket win over Karaikudi Kaalai.
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L. Suryapprakash (60, 49b, 6x4, 1x6), who was dropped on five by R. Sonu Yadav, was instrumental in setting up a six-wicket win over Karaikudi Kaalai.

Lyca Kovai Kings registered a six-wicket win over Karaikudi Kaalai in the India Cements-Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) at the ICL ground here on Sunday.

Chasing 159, B. Anirudh Sita Ram (45, 35b, 6x4, 1x6) gave Kings a flying start as it raced to 51 for no loss at the end of PowerPlay. L. Suryapprakash (60, 49b, 6x4, 1x6), who was dropped on five by R. Sonu Yadav, joined the party and struck some powerful blows.

The openers kept the run-rate flowing as Kings scored 79 for no loss in 10 overs. R. Rajkumar provided the much-needed breakthrough for Kaalai when he dismissed Sita Ram in the 12th over and broke the opening-wicket partnership (87 off 69 balls).

After Pradosh Ranjan Paul fell cheaply, Suryapprakash and skipper J. Syed Mohammed played sensibly and added 28 off 20 balls. But, the Kaalai bowlers pegged down Kings’ run-rate when they dismissed Suryapprakash and S. Harish Kumar in quick succession.

Needing 19 off 12 balls, R. Rohith hit two consecutive sixes off Sunil Sam to ease the pressure. He also hit the winning runs in the final over. Earlier opting to bat, Kaalai managed just one run off the opening over by left-arm spinner S. Ajith Ram.

M. Vijay Kumar was run out in the next over, thanks to the bowler K. Vignesh’s sharp work. S. Aniruda (52, 42b, 3x4, 2x6), the other opener, was joined by skipper S. Badrinath (41, 32b, 4x4, 2x6) and they came up with some lusty blows as Kaalai scored 44 for one at the end of PowerPlay.

The duo continued to find the boundary and kept the scoreboard ticking at a brisk pace. Their 70-run partnership off 51 balls was broken when S. Harish Kumar dismissed Badrinath in the 10th over. R. Srinivasan, who came in at No. 4, kept up the scoring rate as Kaalai went past 100 in the 14th over.

Srinivasan was caught and bowled by Ajith Ram in the 15th over and M. Shahjahan, who hit a six, was run out in the same over. Mohammed, who dropped Aniruda earlier, dismissed the latter with the score at 132 in the 17th over.

Just when Kaalai looked to have lost its way, Ganapathi Chandrasekar and Sonu put on 25 off 18 balls for the seventh-wicket to help their team post 158.

The scores: Karaikudi Kaalai 158 for eight in 20 overs (S. Aniruda 52, S. Badrinath 41) lost to Lyca Kovai Kings 160 for four in 19.3 overs (B. Anirudh Sita Ram 45, L. Suryapprakash 60, J. Syed Mohammed 25 n.o.).

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