TNPL 3: Dindigul starts his first victory | Cricket News

CHENNAI: Madurai Panthers may have changed their name as well as their property before the third season of TNPL, but a victory continues to elude them. In their opening match of the TNPL 2018, they received a dredging of nine wickets of Dindigul Dragons on the field IC in Tirunelveli. While R Ashwin took 3/25 with the ball, R Vivek (70 of 33 balls) and N Jagadeesan (68 of 42 balls) did most of the race to give their first victory to Dindigul this season.

Chasing 170 for the win, Dindigul wasted no time in displaying their aggressive intent. It was obvious from the very first ball in fact, when opener C Hari Nishanth (28 off 17 balls) hosted the left arm spinner Rahil Shah with an impressive maximum.

Nishanth continued to rampage in the early stages, before a brilliant capture by X Thalaivan Sargunam in the extra-rug area abruptly ended the stay of the southpaw at the crease.

Despite the dismissal of Nishanth, Dindigul did not care at all about them, as they mitigated the Madurai attack with disconcerting ease. Although Jagadeesan always looked at the control of the procedures as planned, Vivek made a surprise or two with his flamboyant brushstroke having been promoted in order.

Madurai desperately needed quick breakthroughs to have a chance to win, but Jagadeesan and Vivek never remained undefeated to chain a 125-point stand for the second wicket and guide them home.

Earlier, after winning the batting pitch and the first stick, Madurai had indeed started their sleeves sturdily with openers D Rohit and Arun Karthik who were sewing together an opening partnership of 50 in just five overs. Just as things started to seem threatening for Dindigul, Rohit was sent back to the dugout for 24 hours when his namesake Dindigul Dragons, Sergeant R Rohit, unloaded him with a full delivery.

Karthik, the main camp state man, continued to find the border after Rohit left, even as Thalaivan managed to find his time.

As a result of Thalaivan's early struggles, Madurai managed only 29 points in the next five overs and found himself at 79/1 from 10 overs. Leggie M Abhinav had pressed a few quiet silences in the meantime.

But Madurai duly raised the bar in the third third of Abhinav. Thalaivan and Karthik beat him six times each. Karthik's shot straight to the ground also raised his half-century on just 33 balls.

With Madurai on 124/2 after 15 overs and Karthik still at the crease, Ashwin – who had played two overs for six points in the first 15 overs – was turned on. The move paid dividends, while Karthik dug for 61 balls from 44 balls at Rohit in the middle of the box, just one shot after being dropped by the small league player.

While P Shijit Chandran ensured that Madurai's sleeves did not fall thanks to a 35-ball cameo, he needed two solid six in the Ashwin final so that the total would be 169 / 6. 20 overs. Despite the 15 points conceded by Ashwin at the 20th hole, he (4-0-25-3) was clearly the choice of the bowlers, baduming the responsibility to play tough bowling after their setbacks in the previous match.

Short Notes: Madurai Panthers 169/8 in 20 overs (Arun Karthik 61, R Ashwin 3/25). Dindigul Dragons 170/1 in 15.2 overs (R Vivek 70 not out, N Jagadeesan 68 not out). Dindigul won by 9 wickets.