TNPL 2019: Vijay's century helps Trichy Warriors trump Patriots

Murali Vijay (101, 57b, 11x4, 4x6) sizzled with the bat and put on a brilliant 141-run stand off 85 with Adithya Ganesh to power Ruby Trichy Warriors to 177/4 in 20 overs.

Murali Vijay starred for the Ruby Trichy Warriors with a 57-ball 101 in its game against Tuti Patriots in the Tamil Nadu Premier League on Tuesday.

M. Vijay's splendid century was the highlight of Ruby Trichy Warriors' 17-run win over Tuti Patriots in the Tamil Nadu Premier League at the NPR College grounds in Natham on Tuesday. It was the Trichy side's first win of the season, while the Patriots remained in the sixth spot with four points. Both teams have played six games. Opting to bat first, the Warriors managed just 13 off the first three overs. The in-form Vijay (101, 57b, 11x4, 4x6) increased the scoring rate in the fourth, hitting a six and a four off D. Tamil Kumaran. But, slinger V. Athisayaraj Davidson struck twice in the next over to account for Mukunth and Aditya Barooah, reducing the Warriors to 27 for two. However, a brilliant 141-run stand off 85 balls between Vijay and Adithya Ganesh (56, 45b, 4x4, 2x6), highest for the third wicket in the tournament, rescued the team from troubled waters. The former was the aggressor, while Ganesh, who was dropped on 26, played a good supporting hand. Their partnership was not just about the boundaries as they rotated the strike deftly, the 41 singles bearing testament to this fact. Vijay, who notched up his half century off 33 balls took just 22 more to reach his maiden century of the competition. He incidentally had come agonisingly close to the three-figure mark in Warriors' previous game against Dindigul Dragons, falling for 99. Davidson removed both the batsmen in the 20th over, but Warriors went on to finish at 177. In reply, Patriots made a good start, scoring 39 in five overs before V. Subramania Siva was caught in the deep off R. Sai Kishore in the final over of the PowerPlay. Akshay V. Srinivasan (63, 47b, 2x4, 5x6), reprieved on 31 when the left-arm spinner took a return catch off a no ball, continued to fight. He brought up his half-century off 41 balls, but the Warriors bowlers chipped away at the other end.

The target proved insurmountable once he fell to P. Saravana Kumar in the 17th over. 

The scores: Ruby Trichy Warriors 177 for four in 20 overs (M. Vijay 101, Adithya Ganesh 56, V. Athisayaraj Davidson four for 24) bt Tuti Patriots 160 for seven in 20 overs (Akshay V. Srinivasan 63, D.T. Chandrasekar two for 34, M. Poiyamozhi two for 36).