There are players who are in a good form with the bat & then there are players who are in a good form with the ball but there are very rare instances when we get to see a player performing exceedingly well both with the bat as well as with the ball in the same match. Such was the case of this talented kid Shreyas Pathak who single handedly helped his side clinch a victory.
In the first innings itself, Shreyas played one of the classiest knocks hammering 162 at a strike rate of almost 90. That knock helped his side reach a formidable total of 309/5 declare. The in-pressure Jamnabai were scuttled out for 167 in the first innings due to some prodigious bowling by the opposition. If his magic with the bat wasn’t enough he took a fifer in the first innings & dismantled the Jamnabai batting line up to pieces. Eventually, the Jamnabai team had to follow on the innings.
Things got worse for Jamnabai in the 2nd innings when Shreyas Pathak again came in & took another fifer for just 55 runs. The opposition was all out for 126 & Jamnabai team won the match by an innings and 16 runs. It was a clean whitewash by the Balmohan boys & a more than magical performance by the talented 15 year old Shreyas Pathak.
Even the opposition team & umpires applauded the boy’s performance & vigor on the field. What’s more, Pathak even took two outstanding catches & also initiated a run out. Shreyas was in a zone where everything he was touching was turning into gold. An outright win for Balmohan helped them to earn 4 points to lead the table too. Going by the form Shreyas is in, the opposition teams must start making plans to tackle him in the upcoming matches!
Already fresh from a victory in their previous match where they won by 9 wickets, Future Stars team carried their good momentum ahead against the IDBI Vengsarkar Team. IDBI won the toss and decided to bat first with an aim of scoring a big target.
But the Future star bowlers really contained the batsman and were successful in dominating the IDBI Vengsarkar team. IDBI team managed only 65 runs with the loss of 9 wickets in 10 overs. Ravi chaudhary bowled exceedingly well. Chaudhary troubled the batsman with his off-spin and scalped three crucial wickets. Ravi got able support from Rajesh Chaudhary too who snatched three wickets.
Chasing the target at just above 6 runs per over nowadays is like a cakewalk for most of the teams & same was the case with the Future stars. Their coach Mr.Abdul Ahad advised the batsman to not panic & finish off the game with two’s & singles if boundaries become tough to come. Their batsman finished off the game in style in just 9 overs & 9 wickets to spare. Right handed opener Ravi chaudhary exhibited his batting skills too as he remained unbeaten with a crafty 31*
The Oval maidan certainly witnessed a great match & excellent all-round performance by Ravi. The Future stars team will certainly be brimming with confidence when they play their next semi final match of the Adidas Uprising Under 16 Tournament.
Bombay Gymkhana witnessed a competitive match between two hard working teams namely Don Bosco & VPMS Vidyamandir team in the under 16 Harris Shield Tournament. VPMS Team had won the toss & they chose to send Don Bosco to bat first. Their coach Rohan Nagvekar had instructed the boys to settle first & try posting a big target to win the match outright.
Opener Manal Kawle followed his coach’s advice with precision as he scored a fantastic century for his side. Manal Kawle & Kevin were sent to open the innings. While Kevin was out for 6, Manal carried his game forward with supremacy. Never once did he struggled in his 151 ball 120 which included lustrous boundaries. Not only Manal was calm & composed at the crease but he also created good partnerships. Mulani Saqib also played well for his 46 to support the attacking Manal kawle.
Don Bosco declared at 262/6 & pressure was quite evident on the faces of the VPMS batsman to chase such a score. Don Bosco bowlers were tough as nails bundling out VPMS Vidyamandir team for just 96 in the 1st innings & giving them a healthy follow on. It was really tough batting against the Don Bosco bowlers & especially Atharva Baperkar who took 9 wickets in the match.
VPMS Vidyamandir fought hard in the 2nd innings & managed to score200/7. The efforts weren’t enough & Don Bosco team won the match on 1st innings . The credit must go to opener Manal whose century helped Don Bosco post a decent score in the 1st innings. Atharva’s 9 wickets were also noteworthy. The Don Bosco boys will move ahead in the tournament with a renewed zest & as their coach stated they would fight hard to win the upcoming matches outright.
The kids had a ball of a time with the IPL star and a hard working cricketer Pardeep Sahu. The spinner who plays for numerous local clubs has also represented Kings XI Punjab. Sahu has had a wonderful journey in cricket so far. The kids deserve to interact with a cricketer who has reached such heights in cricket.
Ajay verma Manager sports development -khiladi connect (BCCI Level 1 Umpire) also shares his on field experinces with Pradeep shau with the Khiladi connect kids. Pradeep sahu also gave a lot of tips to the boys on how to improve their game and how to effectively bowl in crunch situations.
Sahu also played for a while with the boys to cheer them up & motivate them. The kids also got a lot of inputs and tips on how to maintain fitness & how to play under pressure situations. During his interaction with the kids he shared his experiences and journey down the lane. He conveyed to the kids that the key to success is discipline, working hard and most importantly enjoying the game while playing. The kids enjoyed every moment and definitely would cherish all the wonderful memories they spent with the IPL star.
Sahu who plays for Kings XI Punjab, Payyade Sports club & has also played First Class cricket must have surely motivated & inspired the kids with his presence. We wish he continues to take such wonderful initiatives for the spirit of the game.
FPL season VIII has become platform of countersigning of unlocking potential in the direction of cricketing skills & convention of examples with leading from the front.
Exceptional performances from Core Members of FPL cricket tournament, coined by Bhadresh Gandhi (VFCL) with good looking innings of 66 runs during inaugural game of FPL on 12th of Nov ’16 followed by match winning performance of APS Ahluwalia (TCC) on 13th Nov with 4wickets haul off 26 runs, Shridhar Kotian (TCC) with excellent bowling spells to be instrumental of comeback spells for this team on 13TH NOV & 3RD DEC’16.
BUT CAPTAIN OF HIGHFLIERS (VASANT GANIGA) HAS DECIDED SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY TO DO ON 4TH DEC’16 NOT JUST MEMORABLE WIN FOR HIS TEAM BY LEADING FROM THE FRONT BUT ALSO TO INSPIRE NEXT GENERATION OF FPL WITH HIS BEST PERFOREMCNE OF LAST 7 YEARS
4th weekend & 15th Contest of FPL season VIII at Yashwant gorgeous venue at Virar West was scheduled to witness a regular game of 20-20 cricket between Highfliers and Thane Advocates but
CAPTAIN OF HIGHFLIERS VASANT GANIGA MADE IT EXTREMELY DISTINCTIVE BY PLAYING AN INSPIRING NOTCH OF 104 RUNS IN 48 BALLS WITH WHOOPING STRIKE RATE 216% BUT THAT WAS NOT ALL
Centurion Vasant Ganiga did not stop there despite of highest runs in single inning by an individual so far but also exhibited a jaw dropping bowling spell and claimed two important wickets and sealed famous win for his team.
Thane Advocates went off to a flying start with the help of their solid openers Rohan & Mangesh played like champions & posted 50/0 in 5 overs & 82 runs without losing any wicket in 10 overs, though TASC team was determine to chase the total but pressure of mammoth total of 212 runs emerged as too solid to beat & middle order batting line up collapsed against spin attack lead by Vasant, Shoheb Khatri and Shahid , so TASC end up losing by 52runs contest is concluded in good spirits of cricket & we wish to all participants much more exciting games in times to come and keep entertaining viewers and participants.
A dominant performance by Highfliers & with two wins in three games and still three more matches to go, the last year’s runner up looks like a strong contender of FPL season VIII edition of the Tournament
Vasant has dedicated his inning to wonderful friend-
!!!LATE MURGESH ON HIS BIRTHDAY!!!!!
ALL THE BEST TO BOTH TEAMS FOR FORTHCOMING CONTESTS
HAPPY CRICKET & LET THE ENTERTAINMENT CONTINUE
Balmohan Vidyamandir School is definitely raising their stakes day by day. From playing in the Plate Group last year, Balmohan team has worked hard & given great performances over the time to raise their game to a different level. It is because of their sheer hard work they are playing in the Elite group of the Harris Shield Tournament this year. That’s a meteoric rise for a hard working team which has given consistent performances every time over the past one year.
Their strong performance can rightly be reflected in the ongoing game against Jamnabai Narsee Team where they have displayed a lot of resilience against the Jamnabai team. Winning the toss first, Balmohan went off to a solid start with the help of Shreyas Pathak and Swarup Kamble. Shreyas who was going through a rough patch requested the coach to open the innings & it reaped heavy dividends for the team.
Both the openers looked rock solid at the crease and were looking poised to score a big hundred. Kamble got off to a good start but lost his wicket at 33 facing 105 balls. It was altogether a different case for Shreyas Pathak as he continued playing good shots and scored a superb hundred in no time. His free flow with the bat continued even after he completed his century as he remained unbeaten on 162 off just 186 balls. Shreyas played classy shots which were really good to the eyes. Not a single bowler could decode his solid technique and resilience at the crease. The best part about his innings was he was completely calm and never played a risky shot despite playing at a strike rate of almost 85. Other batsman came in & supported him nicely forming useful partnerships. Atharva Chauhan also scored a splendid half century as Balmohan Team finished the day at 309/5 declare. Jamnabai bowlers toiled hard but it was not enough against the free flowing Shreyas who batted like a wall for his team. Jamnabai team is under pressure to chase the target where in they have already lost two big wickets.
The coach himself stated that their aim is to win the match outright to be on the top of the table. Balmohan boys are aiming to win this match upfront against Jamnabai and their eyes are surely on the prestigious Harris Shield Trophy.
Arch Mavericks had won the previous three matches and they are qualified for the super eight but still they fought with a lot of conviction. Their captain advised the players to stick to their natural game & not to take the game lightly as a bonus point would lift them to the top of the table. Opener Sumit Nigade followed every word of his captain’s advice to perfection putting up a standout performance with the bat again.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Arch Mavericks got off to a great start where Pranay Ranka & Sumit stitched a great partnership. Pranay Ranka was batting really well & Sumit rotated the strike quite effectively with him. It was after his captain’s dismissal Sumit Nigade decided to open his arms. Moreover, Sumit displayed a wide array of shots in his brazen century coming off just 60 balls. That knock surely led the foundation for a big target for Arch Mavericks. Sumit Smashed 13 fours & 2 entertaining sixes to enthrall the spectators with his breath-taking batting. His six over deep mid-wicket against off spinner Yogendra Vitkar was his personal favorite. Though Arch Mavericks were practical in their approach but they had decided to target the spin bowlers & take full advantage of the loose balls.
Arch Mavericks managed to score 196/6 in 20 overs putting the onus of chasing a big target on VK Architects. The Arch maverick bowled really well restricting the opposition to just 100 runs & winning the match by 96 runs. Vimal Hansraj was the pick of the bowlers picking up 4 wickets for just 6 runs which helped them to dominate over the opposition.
Sumit Nigade has showed a lot of consistency & is improving his game day by day. Sumit and the whole team would surely be carrying the good momentum in the super eight & will be looking to perform well to lift the trophy in the AT20 Tournament.
Some people are born to make it big & perform well at crucial moments. They may be regular in their day to day routine but they make it big when it is needed. Off the fields he is an established doctor and on a cricket field he is slowly becoming infamous within the bowler community. Dr. Ashish Dadhas played a very special knock of 159* off just 54 balls in the ongoing district level tournament of Doctors (Thane Superb Premier League).
This knock reminded of Adam Gilchrist’s 149 in the 2007 World Cup finals. Coming in at no.3, Kalyan team had no idea what sort of massacre Dr. Ashish Dadhas was going to bring. Fresh from a 56 ball 90 in his last match, his madcap batting was a sight to behold for the spectators as he scored a stroke laden 159* off just 54 balls breaking numerous records on his way. Ashish completely annihilated the Kalyan bowlers with his madcap batting which included a record 13 monstrous sixes to go with 14 boundaries. He spared a few good bowlers but he hardly sympathized with the opposition playing at a strike rate of almost 300! He hit six on 92 and then took a single to complete his century. The mayhem just multiplied after century.
It was because of his gigantic knock, Mumbai Warriors managed to score a huge target of 216 for 5 in just 15overs. The bowlers also did a fantastic job for Mumbai Warriors as they restricted the opposition to mere 91 runs & winning the match by 125 runs.
Dr. Ashish Dadhas who has developed quite a reputation now as an aggressive & hard hitting batsman, rated this innings as his best till date. It was surely a doomsday for kalyan bowlers & a day to rejoice for Mumbai Warriors team as they were qualified for the finals. Dr. Ashish Dadhas was not only adjudged man of the match for his 159* but he was also adjudged “Best Batsman” for scoring 260 runs at an average of 130 & a strike rate of almost 230 in the tournament.
Playing against a strong & experienced line-up like Payyade is always tough & Muslim United did felt the heat after winning the toss and electing to bat first. The tough bowling from Payyade bowlers ensured not a single batsman could score above 30. Nikhil Bagal was the only batsman down the order who looked good enough for his 55 ball 29.
Eventually, Muslim United were all out for just 130 runs in 44.5 overs. Pradeep Sahu & Rajesh Pawar showed their mettle with the bowl taking six wickets together. Both of them took three wicket hauls to dismantle the batting line up of Muslim United. While Sahu gave important breakthroughs at the top of the order, Pawar cleaned up the lower order with his effective bowling.
Sahu has evolved a lot & looks more matured than ever with the ball putting up consistent performances for his side. While chasing 131, it was a smooth & simple chase for Payyade winning the match by six wickets. Payyade openers put up a brilliant show with the bat where Omkar Khanvilkar scoring a gritty 47 off 89 balls while he got enough of support from his partner Amogh Bhatkal who scored a 43 ball 37. Though Muslim United lost the match but Pratik Sargade’s efforts were also notice worth taking 3 wickets for just 25 runs.
Payyade’s comfortable win over Muslim United is an indicator of their current form & they surely look favorites to win the ongoing Purshottam Shield Tournament
The Azad Maidan witnessed an entertaining match between Abbott Healthcare & Omni Marines in the ongoing Shiraz-e-hind tournament. Abbott won the toss & put themselves to bat first as they had a strong batting line up in their arsenal. Though they lost the first wicket quickly but right handed opener Rehman Siddique’s stroke filled 48 off just 38 balls at the top of the order gave Abbott a lot of momentum.
Abbott who were 2 down for around 70 runs needed someone who could anchor the innings till the end & so came Ishan Mithbavkar. The right handed wicket keeper batsman played one of the classiest knocks we could ever see. While batsman on the other side were coming in & putting quick cameos, Ishan stuck to the crease like a wall. Ishan Mithbavkar scored a classy 102 off just 101 balls which included 10 perfectly timed boundaries. Never once did he look troubled & neither did he try playing any rash shots. Ishan was also quite energetic between the wickets & rotated the strike quite nicely. Shantanu Chaudhary also provided decent support to Ishan scoring an aggressive 35 ball 47.
Remaining unbeaten till the end, Mithbavkar gave us vibes of Laxman & Dravid through his patient knock of 102. Ishan’s century helped Abbott post a fine total of 283 in 40 overs which is on any given day tough to chase. Omni Marines looked confident but none of their batsman could convert their starts into big knocks apart from their no.6 batsman Prem Jadhav’s 63(53 balls). Abbott successfully managed to restrict them to 240 all out in just 37.5overs. Sandeep Bhoir bowled well chipping in with the last three wickets of Omni Marines & finishing the game in style.
Coach Chandrashekar Kalamkar must be happy to see his boys perform so well & man of the match Ishan must be high on confidence too. Considering his class & temperament, Ishan is surely a batsman to watch out for in the next matches of the tournament.
