Experience always pays off and especially in cricket where a player with a rich experience can strategize well and understand the situation better than the one who is still fairly young to the game.
Shivaji Park Youngsters after batting first declared their innings at 175/8 with Mandar Phadke scoring a crucial 56 down the order. Defending a total of 176, Nitin Surve took the onus on his shoulders to help his team win the match with ease. Leg-break bowler Nitin came up with match winning bowling figures of 7/43 in 12.4 overs as he removed the entire top order as well as the middle order. It was a display of quality bowling which showed how experience bowlers can always be an asset to the team.
Rajasthan SC were all out for 112 runs as Shivaji Park Youngsters won the match on 1st innings lead. Mandar’s half century at no.7 and Nitin’s excellent spell of 7 wkts played a crucial role in their team’s win.
Cricket is a very interesting game where it’s only the survival of the fittest. The competition is intense and you get very less chances to prove yourself or make a comeback and one mistake can cost you a match. As we say catches win matches and a dropped catches can change matches. Ninad Borkar who was dropped on a duck by a sitter changed the game after getting a one more chance to bat.
Matunga Gymkhana were off to a good start with openers chipping in well. Ishan Amin scored an aggressive 71 opening the innings while Ninad who came at no.4 was dropped on zero. Little did the opposition knew that it will cost them a match. Ninad made the most of his opportunity smashing a breath-taking 58 ball 126* to enthrall his team mates and the spectators alike. What’s more he also broke the record of most sixes in an innings which was held by Dhanraj Shinde (11 sixes). Ninad en-route his 126* smashed 10 fours and 12 sixes mostly dealing in boundaries and treating the bowlers with absolute disdain as Matunga Gymkhana declared their innings at 249/4 in 30 overs.
Youngstar Marine Drive were all out for 121 in 1st innings with Siddhant bagging 4 wkts while Divakar Shetty bagging 3 wkts. Receiving a follow on, they were again bundled out for 46 runs as left-arm spinner Yogesh Dicholkar bowled a terrific spell of 6/20 in 6 overs. Yogesh bowled well overall taking 8 wkts in the match while Matunga Gymkhana won the match by an innings and 82 runs.
It was an attack which can be described as pack of Wolves where the entire team of Payyade SC fired up with the bat with every batsman chipping in with runs.
After being made to bat first, Payyade SC were off to a solid start with opener Harsh Tank crossing the 50run mark thrice in a row in Police Shield scoring a quick 77 along with his partner Akhil who scored 41. Hardik Tamore (35), Siddhesh Lad (46) chipped in while Akash Parkar (54) at no.6 and Parag Khanapurkar(69) at no.7 stitched a decent partnership smashing half centuries. Their innings ended with Vinayak Bhoir giving the finishing touch with a quick cameo of 18 ball 43*
Mumbai Police Gymkhana in reply were all out for 195 with Shubham, quickster Badrey and Vishal Dabholkar bagging 3 wkts each.
There was’nt a single department where Payyade SC did not fire as they won the semi-finals by a handsome margin of 222 runs.
Bharat CC after being made to bat first at Shivaji Park were off to a patchy start with both their openers falling out cheaply. However, Sumedh Kamble who came at no.4 ensured his team reaches a decent total going on to smash a match winning 100* off 119 balls. It was an innings where he smashed 12 fours while also toiled hard between the wickets as Bharat CC declared their innings on 179/5 in 40 overs.
In reply, Bluestar CC were bundled out for 105 runs as Rohan Sadarjoshi and Bhavik Patel both took 3 wkts each. Vishal Bhillare scored 51 runs at no.6 scoring almost half of his team runs.
Bharat CC won the match on 1st innings lead and it was certainly Sumedh’s ton which helped them win dominantly. Bharat CC with 16 points is now at the top of the table in G Div alongwith Young Parsee team.
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