After spiritedly chasing 309 in a minimum of 73 overs, Young Stars eventually managed to hang on to a tense draw against holder Jolly Rovers on the final day of the TNCA first division Elite Group league here on Wednesday.
Ganesh Satish (88, 139b, 8x4) kept Young Stars in the hunt before Rovers hit back through its left-arm spinner D.T. Chandrasekar (four for 72). Finally, Wilkins Victor (33 not out, 103b) and B. Gowtham (31 not out, 42b) batted 11.1 overs in an undefeated ninth-wicket partnership to force a draw; Young Stars finished at 243 for eight.
Earlier, J. Syed Mohammed (89 not out, 140b, 8x4, 1x6) and Ankit Bawne (57 not out, 132b, 1x6) put on an unbeaten 147 in 43 overs to enable Rovers declare at 243 for four.
Vijay spinners, left-armer Rahil Shah (five for 63, season tally 28) and offie Malolan Rangarajan (four for 66, season tally 30), combined effectively even as Globe Trotters collapsed sensationally from 200 for one to 255 all out in 22.3 overs.
After K. Mukunth (100, 249b, 12x4) and M.S. Washington Sundar (95, 197b, 8x4, 3x6) raised 184 in 66.4 overs for the second wicket, Trotters lost its way.
Paceman J. Kaushik and left-arm spinner Vikas Mishra claimed four wickets apiece as Alwarpet dismissed Grand Slam for 250 to clinch the lead. N. Jagadeesan (57, 191b, 4x4) top-scored for Grand Slam.
In the Plate League, 17-year-old AG’s Office left-arm spinner R. Sai Kishore took six for 56 against Southern Railway Institute; the first innings remained inconclusive in this contest.
None took the lead in the IOB-Aruna duel as well, but the day witnessed some pulsating cricket. Chasing 176 for the lead in a minimum of 33 overs, Aruna finished at 174 for eight with Syed Shahabuddin remaining unbeaten on 72 (74b, 3x4, 2x6).
In the morning left-arm spinner Ali Murtuza grabbed five for 62 — his third five-wicket haul of the season — as IOB was restricted to 175. Vishal Vaidhya made 74 (188b, 7x4, 1x6).
India Pistons drew with UFCC (T. Nagar) with the first innings remaining incomplete. UFCC pacemen Vignesh M. Mohan and M. Raja took seven wickets between them.
The scores (round three, day three):
Elite Group: At IIT-Chemplast: Jolly Rovers 194 & 243 for four decl. in 69 overs (K.H. Gopinath 54, Syed Mohammed 89 n.o., Ankit Bawne 57 n.o.) drew with Young Stars 129 & 243 for eight in 74 overs (Ganesh Satish 88, D.T. Chandrasekar four for 72). Points: Rovers, 5, Young Stars 2 .
At MRF-Pachaiyappa’s: Vijay 524 for seven decl. & three for no loss decl. in one over drew with Globe Trotters 255 in 95 overs (K. Mukunth 100, M.S. Washington Sundar 95, Malolan Rangarajan four for 66, Rahil Shah five for 63). Vijay 5, Trotters 2 .
At Murugappa: Alwarpet 417 drew with Grand Slam 250 in 109.3 overs (N. Jagadeesan 57, M. Shahrukh Khan 44, J. Kaushik four for 56, Vikas Mishra four for 110). Alwarpet 5, Grand Slam 2 .
Plate Group: At Southern Railway: Southern Railway Institute 206 in 93.1 overs (Anthony Mannays 82, S. Sudhan Sanjeevi Kandeban 54, R. Sai Kishore six for 56) drew with AG’s Office 128 for three in 29 overs (M. Adityan 61 n.o.). SRI 3, AG’s Office 3 .
At SPIC-YMCA: IOB 175 in 87 overs (Vishal Vaidya 74, Ali Murtuza five for 62) drew with Aruna 174 for eight in 33 overs (Syed Shahabuddin 72 n.o.). IOB 3, Aruna 3 .
At CPT-IP: India Pistons 310 in 109.3 overs (G.V. Vignesh 60, Ganapathy Chandrasekar 53, S. Avaikkarasan 42, S. Harish Kumar 48, Vignesh M. Mohan four for 67) drew with UFCC (T. Nagar) 113 for one in 23 overs (S. Badrinath 49). Pistons 3, UFCC 3 .
