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Grand Slam completes remarkable win

Special Correspondent

— Photo: M. Karunakaran

MAKING RAPID STRIDES: Grand Slam has won the Raja of Palayampati Shield in only its second season.

CHENNAI: The allure of the underdog story lies in the truth that it seldom occurs. On the rare occasion that it does unfold — as it did here at the CPT-IP ground — the result is both heart-warming and spectacular.

Grand Slam, a side that was grappling with the possibility of relegation from the TNCA first division last year, completed a remarkable triumph on Tuesday, winning the Raja of Palayampati Shield in only its second season.

Astonishing season

Grand Slam dismissed Jolly Rovers for 361 on day three of the final, securing a decisive first-innings lead of 183. The close-knit group of talented youngsters — many of them works in progress — thus capped an astonishing season of challenging and surpassing notable sides.

“The win will take time to sink in,” said J.R. Madanagopal, whose patient, perceptive leadership has forged a side of competitors. “We knew we’d gel well, the youngsters with me and Sunil (Oasis). It took me a season to understand the youngsters and their game. I knew if they realised their potential, we would make the top four.”

Tuesday’s first session showed why Grand Slam has had such a successful season. Despite the heat, the fielders rushed to their positions between overs allowing their bowlers to deliver 39 overs in two and a half hours.

Grand Slam dictated the pace and reaped three wickets; Rovers was caught out. S. Badrinath’s classy 77 was terminated by Oasis’s brilliant catch at gully. Rovers captain M. Vijay, who concentrated hard, went to 90 before being caught in the deep.

R. Ashwin was undone by a fine piece of positional fielding: Madanagopal sold the batsman a dummy, making out as if he were deeper than he really was in the covers, before firing a flat throw to the ’keeper.

N. Ajay Kudua played some exceptional strokes in his attractive 86, driving the off-spinners inside-out and scooping the medium-pacers to fine-leg. But he was fighting a losing battle. Seamer M. Raja finished with three for 62, while Suresh Kumar returned figures of three for 99 with his off-breaks.

“Three batsmen scoring over 850 runs was a rare occurrence,” said Madanagopal, referring to openers K.B. Arun Karthick and Thalaivan Sargunam, and No. 3 Suresh Kumar. “That was probably the most important thing. And (P.) Amarnath led the attack superbly, his attitude and spirit rubbing off on the others.”

The scores: Grand Slam 544 for seven decl. in 135 overs drew with Jolly Rovers 361 in 102 overs (M. Vijay 90, S. Badrinath 77, N. Ajay Kudua 86).

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