TNPL 2021: Match 26, Review: Periyasamy, Ashwin end Madurai Panthers’ hopes

Chennai, August 7: Salem Spartans dented Siechem Madurai Panthers Playoff chances in the Shriram Capital TNPL by recording an 11-run victory against them at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday.

Pacer Ganeshan Periyasamy (2-22) and leg-spinner Murugan Ashwin (2-25) turned out to be Madurai’s nemesis as they could only muster 133-8 in 20 overs to fall short of the victory target of 145.

B Anirudh Sita Ram (52 off 51 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) fought valiantly but he received little support from the other end.

Captain NS Chaturved (23 off 25 balls) did feature in a 55-run alliance with Sita Ram for the third wicket but once he was dismissed by Ashwin in the 11th over, Madurai failed to recover.

We learn from these mistakes as students of the game, says Ashwin

Periyasamy ended whatever hopes Madurai had in the final stretch by claiming two wickets in his last spell.

Salem avoided the bottom place with this win to finish with 5 points from 7 matches, while Madurai also ended with the same number of points but were ahead two places because of a better run rate.

Reflecting on Salem’s showing, Ashwin felt they were a far better side than the seventh-place finish. “We are a very good side. In this game we posted 144 and we were able to defend it, that’s the strength of our team because we’re a very good bowling side. It was just a matter of putting runs on the board, which didn’t happen in the previous games. As cricketers we’re bound to have a tournament like this so it’s important, we learn from these mistakes as students of the game and come back stronger next season,” he said.

Vijay Shankar guides the Spartans

Earlier, all-rounder Vijay Shankar (47 off 40 balls, 3 fours, 1 six), captain Daryl Ferrario (30 off 32 balls, 1 four) and Ashwin (30 not out off 12 balls, 4 sixes) were instrumental in Salem raising 144-5 in 20 overs after winning the toss and deciding to bat.

Vijay Shankar and Ferrario raised 47 runs in 49 balls for the fourth wicket to lay the platform for Ashwin to provide a strong finish with a flurry of sixes.

Pacers Raghupathi Silambarasan (2-43) and V Gowtham (2-29) were the top wicket-takers for Madurai.

Brief scores

Salem Spartans 144-5 in 20 overs (Vijay Shankar 47, M Ashwin 30*, Daryl Ferrario 30; V Gowtham 2-29, R Silambarasan 2-43, J Kousik 1-20) beat Siechem Madurai Panthers 133-8 in 20 overs (Anirudh Sita Ram 52, NS Chaturved 23, M Shajahan 21*; G Periyasamy 2-22, M Ashwin 2-25, Ganesh Moorthi 1-15, Lokesh Raj 1-32) by 11 runs.