Ganga, Chandrasekhar lift Pistons

Pistons was in a spot of bother at 58 for three on a slow wicket after electing to bat when Ganga and Chandra got together. Vijay had a grip on the match during that phase before lunch picking up those three wickets in 10 overs after GV Vignesh (18) and Jiwan Jot Singh (30) added 48 for the first wicket. Left-arm spinner Rahil Shah took two of them, Vignesh caught at slip by Indrajith and S Chandrasekhar caught and bowled with no big turn but with tight line and length. 

The 31-year-old later picked up a third when he dismissed Ganga, who edged a catch to slip. Jiwan Jot Singh looked set for a big score though his innings was slow. Vijay Shankar had him caught behind and that sparked a mini-collapse for Pistons. 

However, Ganga and Chandrasekhar handled the pressure well taking the team to lunch at 69 for three and adding another 100 in the next session in 27 overs. Chandra was the more aggressive of the two as he hit two sixes, over long-on off Aswin Crist and over long-off against the off-spin of Malolan Rangarajan. 

At close, Chandrasekhar was unbeaten on 88 off 197 balls with five fours and two sixes, raising danger signals for Vijay. Vijay CC coach JR Madanagopal said he would have been happier if he had another wicket in the bag. 

“It was a good batting wicket and the bowlers did well to get those three wickets before lunch,” he said. In the other semi-final at SSN grounds, Jolly Rovers was in trouble on the first day ending at 229 for seven against its Chemplast-brother Alwarpet.

Brief scores: India Pistons 257-4 in 90 overs (Ganga Sridhar Raju 105, Ganapathi Chandrasekhar 88 batting, Rahil Shah 3/78) Jolly Rovers 229-7 in 80 overs (Kaushik Gandhi 72, Rahul B 2/42, Tarun Srinivas 2/12) vs Alwarpet. 

Ganga Sridhar Raju batted as an opener for Tamil Nadu when he made his debut this season. He also batted as an opener for India Pistons this season. So why did he change his position to No 3 during this match against Vijay CC is anybody’s guess? “I failed in the last three or four innings as opener for India Pistons,” said the 23-year-old pint-sized southpaw. 

“That is why I changed my position,” he said after scoring his second century of the season. His first century this season had come against AG’s Office in the first phase of the First Division League last year. “After the hundred against AG’s Office, I was selected to play for TN and I made my Ranji debut in the semi-finals,” said Ganga, who had scores of 85 and 77 in the one day matches for TN. 

“I also had a 90 and 126 in the Buchi Babu tournament,” added Ganga. The left-hander was particularly severe on off-spinner Malolan Rangarajan hitting him for six of his first seven fours after lofting Rahil Shah over the bowler for his first four. Ganga, who had played for India Cements teams UFCC, Grand Slam and Falcon before he joined India Pistons, reached his century hoisting Rahil Shah straight for his only six in the 171-ball innings which also had 13 fours.