M. Kaushik Gandhi’s scintillating knock helped Albert Tuti Patriots crush Ruby Kanchi Warriors by nine wickets in the India Cements-Tamil Nadu Premier League at the NPR CET grounds in Natham on Sunday. It was Patriots’ third win in six matches.
Chasing 146, openers Gandhi (80 not out, 49b, 8x4, 4x6) and U. Sushil (36, 29b, 5x4) provided Patriots a sound start, putting together 76 in 10 overs.
Sushil, who got a reprieve on 17 off R. Jesuraj, was dismissed by A.C. Prathiban. S.P. Nathan, coming in at No. 3, rotated the strike well and kept the momentum going.
Kaushik, who notched-up his half-century off 40 balls, continued to find the boundary as Patriots knocked off the required runs with 3.3 overs to spare.
Earlier, Warriors, opting to bat, was off to a decent start scoring 40 for two in the PowerPlay. Opener R. Nilesh Subramanian (33, 28b, 3x4, 1x6) cut loose with a six and a four off Akash Sumra in the ninth over. But left-arm spinner Aushik Srinivas had him lbw in the next over.
M. Shahrukh Khan put on 21 with skipper B. Indrajith (28, 32b, 1x4) before being caught by Nathan off M.S. Washington Sundar with the score at 85.
J. Kousik (43, 25b, 1x4, 4x6) displayed aggression from the start. Indrajith, after looking well set, was dismissed in the 18th over by A. Aswin Crist with the score at 117.
However, Kousik came up with some lusty blows to help his team post 145. Crist scalped three wickets for Patriots.
The scores:
Ruby Kanchi Warriors 145 for eight in 20 overs (R. Nilesh Subramanian 33, B. Indrajith 28, J. Kousik 43, V. Athisayaraj Davidson two for 30, A. Aswin Crist three for 19) lost to Albert Tuti Patriots 150 for one in 16.3 overs (M. Kaushik Gandhi 80 n.o., U. Sushil 36, S.P. Nathan 28 n.o.).
