FCC T20 Tournament – Thane Advocate, CCD, Datafriends & FCC Qualifies for Semi Finals
In continuation to our article on Battle of FCC T20 Tournament, we are bringing more updates on the tournament for our readers.
Four teams “Thane Advocate, Datafriends, Cricket Club of Dombivli (CCD) & Friends Cricket Club (FCC)” qualifies for Semi Finals which will be played on 2nd May’2015 at All Saints Ground, Bhiwandi followed by a Big Final on the same day. CCD will play against Datafriends and Thane Advocate will play against the host FCC and the winner of both semifinals will play to seize the 1st FCC T20 title.
The day was full with 3 must win games for 3 teams to qualify in the semi’s. The details on the balanced three league matches which were played on 26th April are:-
Match-4 : Friends Cricket Club (FCC) V/s Cricket Club of Dombivli (Result – FCC won by 16 runs)
This was a must win game for Host FCC to stay in the tournament, which was possible only by putting a big total in front of strong batting line up of CCD. Accordingly, FCC elected to Bat first after winning the toss. CCD opening bowler Hitesh who bowled truly well this season started good with 1st over by conceding only 2 runs which created a pressure on FCC openers. On the 1st ball of 2nd over (bowled by Devendra), Ajit attempted a difficult catch at Mid Off of FCC jewel Manoj, but could not make it. Taking this golden opportunity, Manoj started playing his natural attacking game with his Partner Prashant and they gave a cracking opening partnership of 68 in just 9.4 overs. In Innings 10th over, Ajit gave a breakthrough in his 1st over by taking a wicket of Manoj (27 in 29 balls, 3×4 & 1×6). With this solid start, the other batsmen of FCC had to take over the bowlers of CCD and this trouncing was done by the next partnership of Prashant & Hiren who made jointly 75 runs in just 41 balls. Hiren (38 in 24 balls, 4×4 & 1×6) got out on team score of 143 and Prashant who was the star batsmen of the innings got out on score of 149. Prashant who contributed 71 in 50 balls hitting 9 fours and 2 sixes was bowled out by Machindra. This was also the highest individual score of the tournament so far. CCD fielders dropped 5 catches in the innings because of which FCC finished the innings at 176 in 20 overs loosing 7 wkts. Bowling figures of CCD were Hitesh (4-0-19-0), Devendra (2-0-21-0), Kiran (2-1-11-0), Mangesh (3-0-37-0), Ajit (2-0-16-1), Vasu (1-0-18-0), Machindra (4-0-34-2), Akhilesh (2-0-16-3) & extras were 12.
While chasing a big total of 177, CCD star Sachin could not gave a good start for the team and felt yet again. Sachin got out at a team total of 23. But his contribution was covered by the Akhilesh & Advait who gave a sensible next partnership of 40 in 37 balls. Akhilesh made 20 in 22 balls. After the wicket of Akhilesh, Advait who is known as hard hitter of CCD took over the charge with Machindra and they started hitting gigantic from 11th over. They gave a small partnership of 36 runs in just 22 balls before returning to the pavilion. Machindra made 28 in 14 balls (3×4 & 1×6) and Advait scored a half century (50 in 37 balls, 4×4 & 3×6). This chasing was supported at the end by Kiran (10 in 6 – 2×4), Captain Mangesh (20 in 14 – 3×4), Prasad (16 in 9 – 2×4, 1×6) which felt short by 16 runs. CCD could make 160 loosing 9 wkts. FCC won the game by 16 runs and they stayed in the tournament. Bowling figures from VCC were Imtiaz (4-0-18-2), Pandurang (4-0-25-1), Ankit (4-0-27-1), Vikrant (3-0-29-0), Manoj (2-0-23-1), Ashish (3-0-36-3) & extras were 6.
CCD, who won their 1st game against VCC, topped the Group-1 on Net Run Rate Basis and qualified for the semifinals with FCC. VCC could not make it to the Semi’s as the net run rate of FCC was better than VCC.
Match-5 : Datafriends V/s Panvel Advocate (Result – Datafriends won by 3 wkts)
For Datafriends too, this was a must win game to stay in the tournament. Young team of Panvel Advocate decided to bat 1st. Similar to 1st match, once again Datafriends bowlers bowled a good line and length restricting Panvel Advocates to 122 runs loosing 7 wkts. Advocates opener Akash (23 in 22 – 3×4, 1×6) and Vishal (23 in 29, 2×4, 1×6) gave a good start for the team of 37 in 5.4 overs, which was not overtaken by subsequent batsmen. With the help of Shailesh (8 in 5, 1×6), Tushar (28 in 37, 1×4), Mahendra (14 in 10, 1×6), Hemant (16 in 15, 2×4); Advocates scored 122 runs loosing 7 wkts. Bowling figures from Datafriends were Arun (4-0-19-1), Kuldeep (4-0-20-1), Lavlesh (4-0-31-1), Tushar (1-0-13-1), Nikhil (3-0-19-2), Sudhir (4-0-20-1) and extras were 9. While chasing 2nd time in the tournament, Datafriends lost the 1st wkt. (Arun) on 2nd ball of an innings. Sudhir; the “wall of Datafriends” (which is unbreakable many times) ensured that target of 123 runs is easily achievable and made a 2nd wkt. partnership of 37 in 37 balls with Tushar (20 in 19, 3×4). As always, Sudhir kept on playing his cool minded game and moved his team towards a must win. He scored 48 in 33 balls hitting 7 fours & 1 six, before getting stumped out on bowling of Tushar. Datafriends managed the target of 123 in 18.3 overs. Towards the end, Anmol (13 in 24, 1×4), Mangesh (22* in 18, 3×4), Nikhil (4* in 1, 1×4) played a handy innings to get the victory for the team. Bowling figures from Panvel Advocates were Tushar (4-0-18-3), Suraj (2-0-16-0), Mahendra (2.3-0-20-2), Hemant (1-0-10-0), Shailesh (3-0-16-0), Akash (4-0-25-1) & extras were 12.
Match-6 : Thane Advocates V/s Panvel Advocates (Result – Thane Advocates won by 49 runs)
This was a must win game for Panvel Advocates. Considering the continuous 2nd match of the day for Panvel Advocates, Thane Advocates captain Mangesh decided to Bat 1st after winning the toss. Ishan & Rohan gave highest opening partnership of the tournament so far of 79 in 7.3 overs. Ishan (52 in 32, 10×4) and Rohan (37 in 25, 6×4, 1×6) played stunning innings of the day which was supported by Pranay (19 in 10, 1×4, 2×6), Mahesh (18 in 11, 1×4), Kundan (22 in 8, 1×4, 2×6), Sandeep (6 in 6, 1×4), Magesh (7* in 6, 1×4) and finished the innings on a massive highest total of the tournament 192 loosing 9 wkts. Panvel Advocates used 8 bowlers but still could not stop Thane Advocates. Bowling figures for Panvel Advocate were Tushar (3-0-35-1), Suraj (4-0-26-3), Mahendra (1-0-16-0), Hemant (2-0-16-0), Akash (1-0-14-0), Shailesh (4-0-31-4), Vishal (1-0-17-0), Sushil (4-0-26-1) & extras were 31.
While chasing a big target of 193 @ 9.65 runs per over, Panvel Advocate lost the 1st wkt. (Mahendra) on team score of 4 (at 1.2 over) and there on Akash (37 in 36, 4×4) & Shailesh (46 in 31, 7×4, 2×6) took over the charge of chasing. They made a partnership of 72 in just 46 balls. But this was not sufficient to achieve the target. Panvel Advocate was in need of similar partnership from other players, which they could not make and they felt a short of 49 runs. Panvel Advocate reached 143 in 20 overs loosing 8 wkts. and lost the game by 50 runs. Captain Mangesh of Thane Advocates varied his bowlers smartly and used 8 bowlers, which did not give any chance for Panvel Advocate to understand the bowling line up. Bowling figures from Thane Advocate were Pranav (3-0-30-0), Kundan (2-0-13-1), Ishan (3-0-18-1), Mahesh (4-0-27-2), Sameer (4-0-24-1), Sandeep (2-0-11-2), Pratap (1-0-5-1), Mandar (1-0-6-0) & extras were 18.
With this mislaid, Panvel Advocate made exit from the tournament and gave Datafriends entry into Semifinal. With 2nd win, Thane Advocate topped the Group-2.
Keep reading the space to know the 1st hoister of FCC T20 trophy….
(Article by Sachin Rajput, Sr. Editor – Cricketgraph)