Into the all important semi-finals of the prestigious Police Shield Tournament, it was a high pressure game for MIG CC and Parkophene Cricketers. MIG CC entered the game as favorites because of their in- form batting line up as well as their team’s overall progress this season. However, the talented team of Parkophene Cricketers ensured that a tough fight be given and change the cards in the all important semis.
MIG CC batting first technically suffered a batting collapse with only two batsmen of their’s scoring in two digits. Swapnil Pradhan opening the innings scored a gritty 61 while Gaurav who has been in great touch this season continued his brilliant form single handedly fighting it out with a solid 133 off 180 balls helping MIG reach a respectable total of 255/9 in 70 overs. From the bowlers, it was Atif Attarwala bowling a tearway spell against a quality batting line up of MIG bagging 5/59 in 15 overs with 3 maidens. Atif bowled with accurate line and length consistently giving breakthroughs to his team.
Chasing 256, Parkophene were 78/4 at one point and chasing it down appeared certainly difficult. However things changed when Prasad Pawar who came at no.6 scored his 2nd ton of the tournament. It was indeed one of the crucial tons while chasing as he scored 115* off 126 Balls (9 fours, 2 sixes) helping Parkophene Cricketers win the match by 5 wkts. Prasad soaked the pressure well as he kept his calm while kept the scoreboard ticking while he got good support from Sagar Mishra who remained unbeaten with him on 46*
The second match of the Super Sunday was played between Kotak Mahindra Bank and Route Mobile at MIG, Mumbai. Batting first, Route Mobile posted a formidable score of 184-4 in 20 overs, courtesy Saeed Shaikh (52 off 42) and blitzkrieg from Ajinkya Beloshe (48 not out off 22). Both these batsmen played some delightful looking strokes and helped their side post a respectable total.
The Kotak Mahindra bowlers were expensive today and the only positive for them was Sagar Khatri who picked up 2-46 in his four overs. The Kotak Mahindra bowlers had a tough time bowling at the powerful Route Mobile batting line-up. Chasing 185 was always going to be difficult. The openers of Kotak Mahindra fell cheaply. Rugved Chaudhari (36 off 33) tried to hold the innings together, but wickets kept falling at regular intervals. Coming lower down the order, Chandrashekhar Patil scored 42 off 24 but his efforts went in vain as his side was restricted to 126-9 in 20 overs, falling short of 58 runs.
Fahim, Mohammad Amir, and Dinar Gaonkar bowled well in tandem to account two wickets each for Route Mobile. Ajinkya Beloshe was bestowed with the Man of the Match for his game changing knock.
It was a one sided affair when the two banking institutions locked horns against each other on Super Sunday at MIG Ground in Mumbai. Winning the toss and electing to bat first, IDFC made a mess as they sent packing for a paltry 119 in 20 overs.The top five batsmen got into double digits but failed to capitalize on the starts. Coming in at no.5 Kishor Hande top scored with 33 off 21. Gaurav Pradhan of ICICI was brilliant with the ball as he scalped 4-19 in his four overs.
Chasing a modest score of 120, ICICI openers Karan Sonavale (47 not out off 49) and Shlok (36 off 33) provided a solid start to their innings. After the fall of Shlok, Kuldeep Panda (34 not out off 20) joined hands with Sonavale to see their side home. ICICI chased down the target in 16.5 overs, winning the match by nine wickets. The IDFC bowlers apart from Abhishek Sharma (1-25) went wicket-less in the lopsided affair. ICICI’s Gaurav Pradhan clinched the Man of the Match for his match winning bowling performance. “After two years of being injured I played today and I am very happy to perform for my team.
The hospitalization did not demotivate me rather it helped me to rise above all the odds. I enjoyed bowling today, and my favorite wicket was that of Abhishek Sharma who was stumped. He was looking good and we needed to get rid of him to bring the game in our favour”, averred Gaurav Pradhan.
The inaugural match of Automotive Cricket League T20 2018-19 was played between Toyota and Automotive on October 27 at MIG Ground, Bandra, Mumbai. Winning the toss and electing to field first, Automotive restricted Toyota to 160-6 in 20 overs.
Middle order bat Pankaj Jaiswal bludgeoned the Automotive attack as he smashed an unbeaten 71 off 39 striking four boundaries and five sixes. On the other hand, Automotive bowlers had an ordinary day at office, with right arm medium pacer Sachin Sanghvi, being the only anomaly. Sanghvi wrecked havoc as he scalped 3-24 in his four overs and was the most economical bowler. Chasing a respectable target of 161, Automotive was bundled out for 138 in 18 overs, losing the match by 22 runs. Sarthak Gangavane top scored with 38 but failed to find an able ally. Opening the bowling for Toyota, Rahil Shaikh struck 3-37 in his three overs. Jaiswal who had earlier showed his heroics with the bat, rolled his arm over to pick up 2-12 in his two overs and was deservingly adjudged the Man of the Match.
The second match of the day was played between Kathiwada and Yes Bank. It was a lopsided affair as Kathiwada went on to win the match by eight wickets with 12 overs to spare. Yes Bank won the toss and elected to bat first. They were sent packing for a paltry 77 in 18.3 overs, with the highest score coming from the no. 11 batsman Sachin Thakur (18). The bowling of Kathiwada clicked as a team as Harsh Dhadda, Vishal Shah, and Siddharth Kadam grabbed two wickets apiece. Chasing a modest target, the openers of Kathiwada provided a solid start, thanks to Vishal Shah (33) and Ankit Chopra (31). They lost Chopra in an unfortunate run out. Yes Bank bowlers failed to get pass Kathiwada batting and the lone wicket taker in the second innings was Amit Kumar (1-20 in two overs). Vishal Shah won the Man of the Match for his all-round effort.
Khar Gymkhana batting first on their own ground declared their innings at 181/8 with Usman Malvi scoring an important 51 for his team. Every bowler from Young Mahrashtra chipped in with a wicket or two making it a good bowling perfomance.
Young Maharashtra in reply were struggling at 3/24 and 5/85 before Hrisikesh Patkar who came at no.5 rescued his team from the jaws of a defeat. Hrishikesh scored a match saving 88*(102 balls) which had 10 fours and 2 sixes in an innings where only 1 batsman apart from him managed to score in two digits.
Young Maharashtra were 158/7 at the end of the game’s play where the match ended in a draw while Hrishikesh’s innings reminded much of Laxman’s match saving knocks at the middle order during his playing days for India.
In the final match between Hemant Waigankar XI and Jehangir Pithawala XI, Jehangir XI after Bhupen’s 191 reached a total of 419. From the bowlers Abhimnayu Vasishtha took 5wkts while Dhrumil who has been amongst the top bowlers in this tournament chipped in with 4 wkts.
Hemant Waigankar XI on the other hand gave a tough fight batting strongly at 314/5 before the game ended on Day 3. Ashay Sardesai coming at no.3 scored an elegant 128 off 299 balls keeping his team alive in the game. Ashay with just 10 boudaries toiled hard between the wickets while left handed Abhishek at the middle order gave his best scoring 60 off 173 balls while stitching a 129 run stand with Ashay to save their team from the jaws of defeat. Hemant Waigankar XI were 314/5 at the end of the Day 3 where the match not only ended in a draw but they also went on to win the tournament.
It was an overall team performance where all the boys contributed well in their capacity, Here’s a look at some of the players contribution from Hemant Waigankar XI.
Batting-
Rudra Dhanday-185 runs @37.00
Ashay Sardesai-140 runs @35.00
Srujan Athavale-152runs @30.40
Abhishek Srivastav-143 runs @47.67
Bowling-
Dhrumil Matkar-19wkts @12.51 & econ 2.51
Tanush Kotian-10wkts @18.00 & econ 3.30
Aquib Querishi-7wkts @22.00 @ econ 2.62
Wellington CC batting first at Cross Maidan were all out for mere 138 runs as Maskati’s medium pacer Rahul Sawant bowled an impressive spell of 6/35 in 13.4 overs. Rahul has been impressive this season with the ball bowling accurately and giving timely breakthroughs to his team.
Maskati CC on the other hand were 76/8 with Vinayak Pillai bagging 4 wkts before the end of the game’s play resulting in a tie.
Parkophene Cricketers batting first at Cross Maidan were all out for 241 runs with their opener Sandeep Kunchikor top scoring the innings with a gritty 60 off 73 balls. The bowlers did a good job with Khizar taking 4wkts.
Chasing 242, the onus was on Sponsor XI’s top order to fire and Jay Bista opening the innings played a perfect knock smashing a brilliant 110* off 92 balls laced with 11 fours and 2 sixes. Jay’s innings was a perfect mixture of composure as well as aggression as he did not play any reckless shots while at the same time dealt with the loose deliveries keeping the scorecard ticking. Siddarth Akre who came at no.5 gave the finishing touch with a 70 ball 81 (4 fours, 5 sixes) while also stitching a 134 run stand with Jay.
Sponsors XI won the match by 5 wkts and more than half the quota of overs to spare.
Chandrashekhar Sant XI batting first scored a big total of 338/10 in 75 overs at SRT Ground Kandivali with every batsman of theirs chipping in with runs. Middle order bats Siddarth Akre and Chinmay Mohite smashed fifties to further solidify their innings. Siddarth scored an aggressive 59 while Chinmay scored an unbeaten 86* off 102 balls anchoring his team to a decent total.
In reply, Jehangir Pithawala were all out for 156 with Kartik Mishra and Aditya bagging 4 wkts each. Sant XI batting in 2nd innings declared their innings at 216/6 with Kunal Chalke playing a match saving innings of 83 off 137 balls. Kunal smashed 12 fours and a six as he pushed his team to a healthy target to defend.
Pithawala XI were 131/2 before the end of the game’s play where C. Sant XI won the match on 1st innings lead.
Women’s cricket is evolving day by day around the world and especially in India and why not when you got so much of talent in your country which goes untapped. Performances like this ensure that the time for women’s cricket has arrived and it will definitely keep on progressing furthermore with every girl who is aspiring to make a career in Women’s cricket.
Mumbai team batting first notched up a healthy 184/5 in 20 overs with their opener Sejal Raut going to score a brutal 92 off mere 57 balls. Sejal batted confidently thrashing the bowlers apart in every corner of the ground as she smashed 13 fours while also did good running between the wickets. The rest of the batswomen chipped in around her as Mumbai team did a good job batting first.
Defending a total of 184, Manipur received the most unexpected treatment from the bowlers as they were all out for mere 9 runs with Sayali Satghare coming up with a brilliant spell of 3 overs, 2 runs and 6 wkts. Sayali was simply spot on with the ball coming up with unbelievable bowling figures as Mumbai team won by a record margin of 175 runs in a T20 match.