TNPL 2018: Trichy Warriors keep hopes alive with win over Tuti Patriots

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Dindigul, August 2: Ruby Trichy Warriors coasted to a seven-wicket win over Jones Tuti Patriots at the NPR College ground in Natham (Dindigul) on Wednesday (August 1), to keep their hopes alive of making it to the TNPL 2018 Playoffs.

Chasing 158 for victory, Warriors openers Bharath Shankar 51 (39b, 7x4, 1x6) and Mani Bharathi 26 (20b, 3x4, 1x6) began aggressively by scoring 38 runs in the first three overs and kept accumulating runs at a steady rate thereafter.

FULL SCOREBOARD

The star-studded Patriots bowling line-up tried to mount pressure on Warriors batsmen by not giving away easy runs but Baba Indrajith 50 not out (32b, 2x4, 3x6) and C Ganapathy 27 not out (21b, 2x4) attacked in the end overs to clinch an important win.

The win helps Warriors catch up with Lyca Kovai Kings and Tuti Patriots. All the three teams have won three and lost three matches so far and will need to win their last game for a chance to make the top-four.

Opting to bat, Patriots opener S Dinesh 30 (18b, 3x4, 1x6) and wicket-keeper S Anand 23 (22b, 4x4) stitched a 50-run stand in 32 balls for the second wicket. Trichy Warriors then removed both the set batsmen to storm back in the match.

S Abishiek 30 (27b,2x6) and debutant Nidhish Rajagopal 41 (26b, 1x4, 3x6) added 73 runs in 46 balls for the fourth wicket to stabilize the innings. Both were dismissed in a space of four balls as the Patriots were derailed once again. Warriors eventually managed to restrict Patriots to 157/7 in 20 overs.

Brief scores: Jones Tuti Patriots 157/7 in 20 overs (N Rajagopal 41, S Dinesh 30, S Abishiek 30, Sonu Yadav 2-25, D Tamil Kumaran 2-28) lost to Ruby Trichy Warriors 158/3 in 19 overs (Bharath Shankar 51, B Indrajith 50 n.o, C Ganapathy 27 n.o, Ganesh Moorthi 2-30) by seven wickets.