Madurai register maiden TNPL win

CHENNAI: Siechem Madurai Panthers got their maiden win in the Tamil Nadu Premier League as they defeated defending champions Chepauk Super Gillies by 26 runs at the IC Ground in Tirunelveli on Monday night. Madurai posted 153-9 after batting first and then went on to dismiss their opposition for 127 to register a memorable win.
In pursuit of 154, Chepauk's chase never really took off.Left-arm spinner Rahil Shah (3 for 27) and leg-spinner C Varun (3 for 16) were the architects of Madurai's victory. Chepauk failed to make full use of the Power Play and were 54 for 2 in the first 10 overs of chase. Rahil began the slide for Chepauk when he dismissed U Sasidev (5, 1x4) in the 11th over as the batsman missed a sweep shot and had his stumps rattled. In Rahil's subsequent over, he got the better of B Rahul (9, 1x6) with an arm ball before clean-bowling Sunny Kumar (2) as Chepauk were struggling at 94 for 6 in the 16th over. Varun, on the other hand, accounted for S Karthik (28, 1x4, 1x6), M Ashwin (22, 1x4, 1x6) and M Sivakumar (8, 1x4). Apart from Rahil and Varun, medium-pacers K Akash (2 for 38) and J Kousik (1 for 24) too made a mark.
Earlier in the evening, Madurai got ample contributions from Kousik (37, 1x4, 3x6), Shijit Chandran (37, 2x4, 2x6) and Nilesh Subramanian (31, 3x4) as they ended on 153 for 9. The 44-run fourth wicket partnership between Nilesh and Shijit was a period of play that provided momentum to Madurai's innings, but it was broken in the 12th over with the former caught at long-off region by M Ashwin off left-arm spinner Siddharth's (2-35) bowling.
Kousik, who walked in at No. 6, struck lusty blows and ensured Madurai finished in excess of 150-run mark after being 69 for 3 at the halfway mark. Madurai didn't have the best of starts as they lost skipper Rohit Damodaren (1) - caught at short mid-on by Sivakumar - off M Ashwin in the first over. The experienced Arun Karthick (17, 1x6, 1x4) and Thalaivan Sargunam (5) too got out early, leaving Madurai at 37-3 before Shijit and Nilesh turned things around. For Chepauk, M Ashwin (3 for 24) and medium-pacer Sunny Singh (3 for 29) shone with the ball.
Brief scores: Siechem Madurai Panthers 153-9 in 20 overs (J Kousik 37, S Chandran 37, S Nilesh 31; M Ashwin 3-24, Sunny Singh 3-29). Chepauk Super Gillies 127 in 20 overs (S Karthik 28, M Ashwin 22; Rahil 3-27, C Varun 3-16). Madurai won by 26 runs