Aparajith sizzles as Super Gillies edges Grand Cholas in a thriller

Skipper B. Aparajith top-scored with 63 (40b, 1×4, 7×6) and stitched a 106-run third-wicket stand (68 balls) with Vijay Shankar (59, 46b, 6×4, 1×6) as Chepauk Super Gillies (CSG) beat Trichy Grand Cholas (TGC) by four runs in a thriller in their Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) match at the Chennai Super Kings ground here on Monday.

Vijay Shankar’s was a streaky, struggling innings in contrast to Aparajith’s assured knock. Aparajith smashed seven sixes – one straight off left-arm spinner Ganesh Moorthi, and six on the leg side. He hit medium-pacer Easwaran for back-to-back sixes to long- on, and pulled left-arm spinner Sanjay Yadav for two sixes to deep midwicket in the same over.

Vijay Shankar, on the other hand, was dropped on 13 by Waseem Ahmed at deep midwicket off medium-pacer Rajkumar. He edged three fours and failed to connect at least four times. He brought up his maiden 
TNPL fifty with authority, though, hitting a slower ball wide of long on for a six off Easwaran.

The 82-run second-wicket partnership between captain J. Suresh Kumar (63, 40b, 6×4, 2×6) and J. Kousik
 (45, 33b, 2×4, 3×6) was the highlight of Grand Cholas’ 179-run chase. The duo struck three sixes in an over off left-arm spinner Aushik Srinivas – both hitting to deep midwicket once, besides Kousik hitting to long on.

CSG medium-pacer Prem Kumar (three for 42) accounted for both of them, getting Kousik bowled while Suresh Kumar holed out to Dinesh Raj at deep midwicket. CSG’s debutant left-arm seamer Rohith
Suthar successfully defended 11 in the last over.

The scores: Chepauk Super Gillies 178/5 in 20 overs (B. Aparajith 63, Vijay Shankar 59) bt Trichy Grand Cholas 174/7 in 20 overs (J. Suresh Kumar 63, J. Kousik 45, Prem Kumar 3/42). Toss: Grand 
Cholas.

Tuesday’s match: Lyca Kovai Kings vs Idream Tiruppur Tamizhans (7.15 p.m.).