Cricket never fails to amaze us. Time and again we come across matches and individual performances which are just too hard to believe. But that’s the beauty of the game and that is also the reason the game is surviving and evolving since more than last 100 years. One boy who has taken all the batsmen by storm is this little chap Chris who has been bowling consistently well throughout the tournament. Just fresh from a 5wkt haul he took in the last match, chris comes up with a bang with another 8wkt haul to grab everyone’s attention.
Played at the Sunder CC, Cross maidan between Parle Tilak English Medium School and Don Bosco High school, Parle Tilak won the toss and elected to bat first. Their decision did not turn out to be the best as Parle Tilak were all out for 131/10 in 52 overs. Zaid Patankar with 3/33 along with Saumil Mhatre (3/13) and Sahil Jadhav (2/14) were the pick of the bowlers as they all collectively bowled well together. On the other hand, Don Bosco notched up a decent total of 232/9decl in 71 overs where in Nutan Goel top scored with 46 at the lower middle order while Dhawal from Parle Tilak took 3wkts.
Batting in the 2nd innings, Parle Tilak were least aware of the storm which was unleashed on them as their left-arm spinner Chris Britto came up with match winning bowling figures of 8/8 in 9.3overs(7maidens). The tight bowling coupled with excellent line and length enabled chris to single handedly demolish the entire batting line up of Parle Tilak which eventually helped his team Don Bosco win the match by an innings. Chris has certainly been a revelation with as many as 28wkts so far in the Giles Shield.
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A lot of prominent cricketers of the earlier era and some of the biggest cricketing pundits always said & believed that a middle order batsman plays the most risky and essential role in the side as they come at a time when the run rate required while chasing is always high or you can’t afford to waste time when your team is batting first. Prajwal Shetty who came in at no.4 just proved all of that as he played a match winning innings for AMS.
Played between AMS & Colgate at the Youth’s Own Union, AMS won the toss and elected to bat field first. However, Team Colgate’s batsmen did a very good job batting first as they notched up a very good total of 208/3 in 20 overs with opener Nikhil, Sunny and Bhushan scoring impressive half centuries. From the bowling side, most of the bowlers went for a thrashing as the batsman managed to get the better of them.
Chasing 209 is always a difficult thing and most of the times the pressure is too high. AMS who lost quick wickets at the top did felt the jitters but in came Prajwal as he completely shifted the momentum with his attacking 26ball 55 (8fours, 1six). In fact prajwal at one point went brutal smashing 4fours in a row but eventually got out in the 5th ball while trying the same. But the damage was already done by then as AMS won the match in the last ball of the innings with just one wicket left. It was certainly a thriller of a win where in Prajwal was declared ‘man of the match’
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Played at the Atma Malik International Ground in Mumbai, it was a match between two promising teams namely Thane Police and Indiana Cricket Clinic where in, Thane Police won the toss and elected to bat first as the wicket had something for the batsman to make a big total.
However, they were not able to make a huge total as they managed to score only 167 runs. Off-spinner Karan Sonavale was the pick of the bowlers as he gave crucial breakthroughs taking 4wkts while Sangam Gharat also took 2wkts. It was really tight bowling by Karan and Co. which helped them restrict Thane Police to a low total.
Chasing 168, Indiana Cricket Clinic won the match in style as all-rounder Karan who was the pick of the bowler also top scored the innings scoring an unbeaten 70* off just 38balls(10fours, 2sixes) coming in at no.3. Sonavale got a stable partner in Ritesh Patil who scored 68 off 57balls. Karan literally took on the bowlers changing the script of the game and making a small total look more smaller! Indiana Cricket Clinic won the match in a commanding manner while Karan’s all-round show was the highlight perfomance of the match.
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Played between IES VN Sule and Balmohan Vidyamandir at the United Ground, Cross Maidan. IES VN Sule won the toss and elected to bat first with the back of their strong batting line up and their in-form Harsh Salunkhe who has been in tremendous touch.
Batting first, IES VN Sule made a good total of 389/6d in 84.5 overs. The openers gave a decent start but it was again Harsh Salunkhe at no.3 who went on to score an impressive 154 off just 140balls. This is his 2nd hundred in a span of few days and it just shows the form which he is in. Harsh let his bat do the talking as he smashed 28fours dominating the bowlers outright. Harsh also got a good partner at no.4 in Aditya Pawar who scored a brilliant 101 off just 90balls. Both the batsman are continuing their form and proving to be potent for any opposition teams. Both the batsman also stitched a decent partnership which helped their team reach a good total.
In reply, Balmohan Vidyamandir were bundled out for 50runs in the1st innings which made VN Sule give them a follow on. In the 2nd innings, they were again all out for 60runs as they IES VN Sule won the match outright by an innings. From IES VN Sule, the bowler who impressed one and all was their left arm spinner Aman Khan who took 5wkts in the 1st innings and 4 in the 2nd taking his tally of wickets to 9which proved to be very beneficial for his team.
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Played between Nirlon and Income Tax Club at the Sachivalay gymkhana in Mumbai, the match witnessed some great individual performances and pure domination from the Income Tax boys. Income Tax club who won the toss elected to field first with an aim of restricting Nirlon to a low total.
Their decision was completely spot on as Nirlon were all out for 188 in the 1st innings. Fast bowler Amol jungade bowled a terrific spell of fast bowling and continued his form from the last match as he took another 5wkt haul coming up excellent bowling figures of 6/51 in 21 overs with 4maidens. Amol inflicted damage right from the start as he kept on bowling in the right areas with tight line and length.
In reply, Income Tax notched up 324/5d where in right handed opener Ameya Shrikhande smashed a brutal 162 off just 143balls. Opening the innings and attacking made all the difference as he smashed 23fours and a six at a healthy strike rate of 120+. Ameya certainly dominated the bowlers with will and looked confident for his stay at the crease. In the 2nd innings, Nirlon were again all-out for 219 where in Prasad Patil and Manan took 4wkts each. It was a collectively good team perfomance from the Income Tax boys where in opener Ameya stood out with the bat while Amol continued his terrific form with the ball.
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Bravish has over the years proved his capabilities with the bat, he has the right amount of patience, aggression, power and resilience which are all crucial in the making of a world class batsman. In the match played between Reliance and A.G (L&R) at the MB Union cross maidan, A.G won the toss and elected to field first with an aim of restricting the opposition to a low total.
However, it wasn’t the best of the decisions as Reliance were all out for just 200runs in 63.2 overs with Sachin and Aditya top scoring 32 & 40 respectively. Off Spinner Jeff Perreira bowled a tremendous bowling spell of 6/37 in 19.2 overs which did the maximum damage. Jeff bowled in excellent line and length as he bowled in the right areas taking wickets at regular intervals which reaped good results for him as well as his team.
In reply, A.G (L&R) displayed their might with the bat as they scored a mammoth 641/8 in 148 overs. Openers Srujan and all-rounder Jeff gave a terrific start with their half centuries while Bravish who came in at no.3 made full use of the positive momemtum left behind by the openers. Right-handed Bravish scored a flashy 214 off just 170balls smashing 25fours and 6sixes to take on the bowlers. Bravish’s batting was a pure treat to the eyes as he played some amazing cricketing shots en-route his aggressive double ton. Nikhil Patil who came just below Bravish also scored an impressive 105 to support bravish. Kunal Mathure who came in at no.7 scored an impressive unbeaten 101* as he solidified the middle order with his elegant batting. A.G(L&R) won the match handsomely on 1st innings and it was definitely Bravish who stood out. Jeff’s all-round show, Nikhil and Kunal’s tons were also equally commendable!
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We hardly come across wicket-keeper batsmen who are equally consistent with the bat as wicket-keeping is itself a tough job. You need to be on your toes all the time, you have to jump, dive, stay flexible and alert throughout the duration of the match. Hence, a lot of physical and mental energy gets dedicated to these skills alone that you can’t expect a keeper to score big runs or play consistently at an average at which Dhoni plays which is a rarity for keepers. Hence, when you see a 22yr old keeper scoring a mammoth score of 279, there has to be some special talent!
Played at the DPC Matunga between Dena Bank and Mumbai Port Trust, Mumbai Port Trust won the toss and elected to field first. Their decision to bowl first was spot on as they were all out for just 165runs where in right arm off-spinner Mairaj Khan yielded magic with the ball coming up with stellar bowling figures of 7/52 in 20.2 overs. Mumbai Port Trust on the other hand went on to score a gigantic total of 768/7 in 157overs. Opener Rajendra gave a decent start with 47 but it was their right handed wicket-keeper batsman Akash Anand who went on to score a marathon innings. Akash scored one of the most elegant knocks of 2017 in Mumbai and also the highest score in this year’s times shield scoring 277 off 379balls(25fours, 1six). Akash did a lot of hardwork as he did 171runs in running between the wickets while also stitched a giant partnership of 351runs with the talented no.4 bat Ninad Kadam who scored a fabulous 152 off 153balls(15fours, 1six). Apart from them Yogesh Dicholkar scored a timely 100* along with Pratik Prabhu and Mairaj Khan chipping in with half centuries.
Mumbai Port Trust won the match on 1st innings and it was definitely Akash’s 277 which stood out in the match. The amount of patience, resilience and consistency at which Akash played was simply impressive and this is not the 1st time he has impressed the cricketing community as a genuine wicket keeper batsman with such classy knocks. Mairaj and Yogesh’s all round perfomance and Ninad’s supporting 152 were also equally commendable in the match.
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There are no words to describe the zone in which Shashank is in. Just fresh from a 237 a few days ago Shashank follows it up with a yet another double ton making it his 4th ton in 5innings. On the other hand veteran Vinit Indulkar smashes his 3rd ton of the season along with Bhavin Thakkar’s brilliant 168*while the classy Subramanian Doraswamy was a pure treat to the eyes with his classy 146. Gaurav Jathar also finally does justice to the enormous talent he possesses with the bat as he scored an elegant & a deserving 154 while Kunal Chalke went on to score 158* representing the Dena Bank.
In the match played between DY Patil and Bharat Petroleum at Karnatak Sporting Assn. DY Patil won the toss and elected to bat first. Batting first, DY Patil notched up a mammoth total 608/3 in 129 overs. Opener Kevin (54) and Subramaniam Doraswamy gave a good start wherein the classy Subramaniam went on to score an effortless 146 off 183balls (22fours, 1six). That was not all as Shashank Singh at no.3 went on to score his back to back 2nd double ton scoring 207 off 212balls (19fours, 9sixes). Shashank also got an able partner in Gaurav Jathar who scored a solid looking 154 off 287balls (16fours, 1six). Shashank and Gaurav also stitched a big partnership which helped their team reach a big total. On the other hand, Bharat Petroleum also gave a tough fight as they batted really well scoring 376/1 in 89 overs. The openers gave a good start as opener Bhavin Thakkar continued the positive start and scored a stroke-filled 168* off 275balls (22fours) Bhavin also stitched a 312run stand with the experienced veteran Vinit Indulkar who scored 115* off 219balls (16fours). The match was drawn but it witnessed beautiful batting as it included as many as 5 big tons in the match. All the tons came from players who have worked hard the entire season and have consistently scored runs. Not only were all the centuries unique in their own way but equally a treat to the eyes with each batsman displaying their class.
In the other match between Dena Bank and Repro at the Worli Sports Club, Repro were all out for 258 runs in 1st innings. Dena Bank in reply scored a big total of 450. Opener Sagar Chabaria (101) and Laukik (58) gave an excellent start while southpaw Kunal Chalke at no.3 continued the positive momentum scoring 158* off 213balls (15fours,1six). Kunal really displayed a lot of solidity with the bat as his knock was a perfect mixture of great cricketing shots and patience while Sagar also looked equally impressive. It would also be noteworthy to mention that Kunal was the highest run getter in the A division of Kanga league. Repro were 170/7 in the 2nd innings before the end of the game’s play where Dena Bank won the match on 1st innings.
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Played at the Union Cricket Academy Ground, it was a match between two promising teams namely KC Gandhi and SHA Rais High school where in S.H.A Rais won the toss and elected to bat first with an aim of making a big 1st innings total.
However, they were in for a surprise as KC Gandhi bowlers restricted them to just 73runs all out in 23.4 overs where in their no.3 Aves top scored with a fighting 34. All-rounders Jaycool Girase and Akash Singh bowled really well as they took 2 & 3wkts each. Atharva also bowled taking 2wkts. While Jaycool’s bowling figures read 2/8 in 4overs, Off- Spinner Aakash came up with stunning bowling figures of 3/2 in 3overs (1maiden). It was a collectively tight bowling which helped them to restrict the opposition to a low total.
Chasing a total of 73 was a mere formality for KC Gandhi boys as the star bowlers of KC in this match also did their job with the bat too. Jaycool and Akash chased down the score in mere 9 overs with Jaycool remaining unbeaten on 31* off 27balls (4fours) while Akash remaining 41* off mere 30deliveries (7fours, 1six). KC Gandhi school won the match in a commanding manner by 10wkts & it was definitely these two boys Jaycool and Akash who stood out with their all-round perfomance.
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Dangerous openers are always a threat to the opposition as they can create a good momentum at the start of the innings if batting first or they can change the game single handedly in their team’s favor if they are chasing. Right handed opener Ateet Agarwal was one such example who literally took on the bowlers right from the start helping his team post a big total.
Played at the National CC, Cross Maidan, Nomura Nitros and Infinity took on each other where in Nomura won the toss and elected to bat first. Batting first, they got off to a terrific start with the help of their opener Ateet as he went on to score 98 off mere 59 deliveries (13fours). Ateet’s knock was a mixture of aggression and patience as he also did good running between the wickets. Ateet fell just 2runs short of a deserving ton while Humaid Sheikh was the 2nd highest scorer with 41*(26b) taking their team total to a healthy 212/3 in 20 overs.
Chasing a mammoth total of 213 at almost 11runs per over, Infiniti must have felt the pressure of chasing as they managed to score only 97/7 in 20 overs against the tight bowling of Nomura bowlers. All the bowlers did an impressive job but it was Gautam Gupta was the pick of the bowlers with impressive bowling figures of 3/7 in 3 overs (1maiden). Nomura Nitros won the match by 115runs and Ateet Agarwal was rightly declared ‘man of the match’ for his match winning 98 off 59balls.
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