TNPL: Washington does it again for Patriots

Washington Sundar scored his first century in T20s, with 11 fours and four sixes, which set up Tuti Patriots' fourth straight win.

Washington Sundar is the leading run-scorer in this year's TNPL.

Washington Sundar (107, 11x4, 4x6) smashed his maiden T20 ton as Albert Tuti Patriots scored its fourth straight win defeating Chepauk Super Gillies by 27 runs in the India Cements TNPL at the ICL grounds in Sankar Nagar here on Tuesday.

Washington and Kaushik Gandhi (35, 33b, 3x4, 1x6), the most dangerous opening pair this season, were in a belligerent mood. They posted 57 runs inside six overs. It contained seven juicy boundaries and a handsome six down the ground.

It was Washington who enjoyed the lion's share. Anything pitched up to him was smartly driven or lofted over the in-field. Kaushik, on the other hand, rotated the singles quite wisely. After the speedsters went in for some punishment, left-arm spinners Sai Kishore and R. Alexander were brought in to check the flow of runs. And, they did
their job to perfection.

The duo broke the shackles after sometime and plundered the bowlers yet again to put on a century stand in 11.1 overs. It was the 10th hundred-run partnership in TNPL and the sixth of this season.

Gillies worked their hearts out and were finally rewarded with the wicket of Kaushik, who was caught by Mahesh on the boundary line of the bowling off Alexander. Earlier, Kaushik, when on 11, became the first batsman to score 500 runs in TNPL.

Two balls later, Alexander struck again removing skipper Dinesh Karthik, playing his first match, for a duck. But Washington stood strong to help the team to 178 for four.

The Gilliies began their chase on a disastrous note losing its openers R. Sathish and K. H. Gopinath in the space of seven balls and with just two runs on board. Thereafter, Antony Dhas (47, 27b, 2x4, 4x6) and T. Sargunan put the team back on track with a lightning 60-run stand (36b).

But before any damage could be done, Washington bowled a beauty. Sargunan danced down the track hoping to clear the long on boundary but, a fleet-footed Kaushik grabbed the chance with ease. Dhas followed him soon. From there, the road to recovery was long and hopeless.

Brief scores:-

Albert Tuti Patriots 178 for four in 20 overs (Washington Sundar 107, Kaushik Gandhi 35, Alexander two for 22) beat Chepauk Super Gillies 151 for eight in 20 overs (Antony Dhas 47, S. Karthik 39 n.o., Aushik Srinivas two for 30, A. Davidson two for 29).