TNPL: Rain plays spoilsport

Before the rain arrived, there was time for entertainment with Kovai’s B Sai Sudharsan putting on a fantastic batting display and smashing 87 off 43 balls to power his team to 168 for five in 18 overs. 

After persistent rain, the match was called off at 11pm IST. Former Tamil Nadu Under-19 captain Sai Sudharsan, playing his first TNPL game, took to the crease as a seasoned campaigner with his elegant strokeplay. He smacked five sixes and eight fours, capitalising fully whenever the bowlers erred. Sai Sudharsan was assisted by opener Ravi Kavin (33 off 41 balls), who hung in there gamely, as they raised 121 runs for the second wicket in 74 balls. 

While Sai Sudharsan was all elegance, Kavin struggled to get going, managing just two fours. He survived a close call when he was dropped on 11 by Selvakumar Abishiek at extra-cover off Ganeshan Periyasamy. 

Earlier, left-handed opener V Ganga Sridhar Raju set the tone with a stroke-filled 33 off 20 balls (4 fours, 2 sixes) after Spartans captain Daryl Ferrario won the toss and put the opposition in. The 28-year-old crunched 20 runs from fast bowler B Praanesh’s first over – the second of the innings. 

BRIEF SCORES: Lyca Kovai Kings 168/5 in 18 overs (B Sai Sudharsan 87, V Ganga Sridhar Raju 33, Ravi Kavin 33, Ganeshan Periyasamy 2/18) vs Salem Spartans