Despite free-fall, Madurai boss keeps chin up

TIRUNELVELI: It has been a case of 'so near yet so far' for

Madurai Super Giant

in the

Tamil Nadu Premier League

. The Arun Karthick-led team, which is yet to taste a win in the competition, lost yet another closely-fought clash on Tuesday night to VB Thiruvallur Veerans after having had an upper-hand for the majority of it.

Dayanidhi Alagiri

, the team director, put up a brave front after the defeat. "The boys are very down. This is the 12th game in a row (that we have lost across two seasons) and it's hard to take it. But we have to prepare ourselves for the next game," Daya told TOI.

The string of losses notwithstanding, Daya - M Karunanidhi's grandson - chose to look at the positives. "Our batting has come good this season. We have been a better team on and off the field this season compared to the last. But we need a bit of luck which hasn't been favouring us this year. If you see this season, we have lost matches after being ahead for 38 out of 40 overs. We had an upper-hand in the last three games but a few mistakes here and there have cost us dear," Daya said.

Madurai have been guilty of dropping catches at crucial stages of the game. While Thalaivan Sargunam was dropped in the match against Chepauk Super Gillies, Thiruvallur's Hari Nishanth was dropped when he was on 5 on Tuesday.

Coach Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan was at loss for words at Madurai's losses. "T20 is all about creating opportunities but we have been dropping straight forward opportunities. It's hard since we haven't won a game in the TNPL. If we get that one win under our belt, we will be a very competitive side," Vidyut said.

Daya is clear that he would continue supporting the team and give them opportunities despite their no-show. "We keep backing the boys and that's why we gave Mani Bharathi a game against Thiruvallur and he played a blinder for us. Out of the 19 in the squad, we have given opportunities to 18 of them," he said.

With Madurai out of the race for a playoffs berth, Dhaya wants to end the season on a high. "The target is to win our remaining two games and get four points. We don't want to finish last this year as well. It is as simple as that," Dhaya said.