MK Siva Kumar's hat-trick helps Lyca Kovai Kings demolish Albert TUTI Patriots

Lyca Kovai Kings cantered to a nine-wicket win over the Albert Tuti Patriots in their India Cements TN Premier League game on Wednesday at the Chepauk Stadium. Kings’ medium-pacer, MK Siva Kumar, took the first hat-trick of the tournament and finished with excellent figures of 3 for 10 in 3.5 overs.

Patriots, who won the toss and elected to bat, got off to a sedate start. It was K Vignesh who got the first breakthrough as he uprooted skipper Kaushik Gandhi’s leg-stump. Patriots lost wickets at regular intervals with Washington Sundar (43) having little or no support.

Kings’ bowlers caused havoc and managed to skittle out Patriots for a mere 95. MK Sivakumar picked up the first hat-trick of the tournament thanks to some brilliant bowling. His wickets included that of Maaruthi Raghav, Washington Sundar and Akash Sumra.

If Maaruthi holed out to long on, then Washington mistimed a slower delivery and fell to a brilliant diving catch at gully. Akash on the other hand was bowled with a dead-straight yorker. Also, Kings looked sharp on field and restricted their opponents as they blocked valuable ones and twos.

On to the Kings run-chase and they scored at will and attacked right from the word go. The opening pair of Surya Prakash L (43) and Anirudh Sita Ram B (48) smashed the Patriot bowlers to all parts of the ground. The dominance was such that Kings at one point only needed less than six runs in an over to win!

Anirudh, who replaced Murali Vijay, grabbed the opportunity and showcased his class. The run-rate was never out of control as Kings cruised along at a brisk pace with a flurry of fours and sixes. They managed to win in just 12.5 overs and only lost the wicket of Suryaprakash.

It was a comprehensive win for Kings which will do well to help them forget their tough loss in the opener.

Brief scores: Albert TUTI Patriots 95 in 19.5 overs (Washington Sundar 43, 48b, 2x4,1x6; MK Siva Kumar 3/10) lost to Lyca Kovai Kings 96 for 1 (Surya Prakash L 43, 39b, 2x4,2x6, Anirudh Sita Ram B 48 not-out, 37b, 4x4, 2x6) by 9 wickets