Team Goemakrponn
Panaji: In the Vijay Hazare Trophy Elite competition, the Goa team suffered a narrow 5-run defeat against Maharashtra on Thursday. The List `A match was played at the Dr. Soni Stadium in Jaipur. Maharashtra, batting first, scored 249 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in the allotted 50 overs. In reply, Goa could manage only 244 runs for the loss of 9 wickets.
Maharashtra won the toss and opted to bat first, but their start was disastrous. After 13.1 overs, they had managed only 25 runs on the board and had already lost five wickets. With a partnership developing between Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ghosh, Darshan dismissed Ghosh to reduce Maharashtra to a precarious 52 for 6. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad then played a magnificent unbeaten innings of 134 runs, facing 131 balls and hitting 8 fours and 6 sixes. He added 106 runs for the seventh wicket with Vicky Ostwal (53). After Ostwal’s dismissal, Rajvardhan Hangargekar contributed an unbeaten 32 off just 19 balls, helping Maharashtra post a challenging total. For Goa, Koushik V. was the most successful bowler with figures of 3 wickets for 38 runs. Arjun Tendulkar, Deepraj Gaonkar, Darshan Misal and Lalit Yadav claimed one wicket each.
Chasing the target, Goa made a steady start and were cruising at 83 without loss. Kashyap Bakhle (42) and Snehal Kauthankar (40) provided a solid opening partnership of 83 runs in 14.5 overs. However, the dismissals of the two openers along with Suyash Prabhudessai (10) in quick succession left Goa struggling at 99 for 3. Thereafter, wickets fell at regular intervals. Captain Deepraj Gaonkar scored 34 runs. In the middle order, all-rounder Lalit Yadav played a fighting unbeaten knock of 57 runs and, along with the last wicket partner Koushik (unbeaten 4), tried hard to take the team to victory, but their efforts fell short.
This was Goa’s last match of the tournament. Goa concluded their campaign with 12 points. Placed in Group `C`, Goa recorded 3 wins and 4 losses.
Brief Scorecard
Maharashtra: 249/7 in 50 overs
(Prithvi Shaw 1, Arshin Kulkarni 0, Ankit Bawne 0, Siddharth Mhatre 3, Ruturaj Gaikwad not out 134, Saurabh Nawale 5, Ramkrishna Ghosh 14, Vicky Ostwal 53, Rajvardhan Hangargekar not out 32, Extras 7; Koushik V 3/38, Arjun Tendulkar 1/39, Deepraj Gaonkar 1/65, Darshan Misal 1/48, Vikash 0/31, Lalit Yadav 1/28) defeated
Goa: 244/9 in 50 overs
(Kashyap Bakhle 42, Snehal Kauthankar 40, Abhinav Tejrana 16, Suyash Prabhudessai 10, Lalit Yadav not out 57, Vikash 13, Deepraj Gaonkar 34, Darshan Misal 2, Arjun Tendulkar 5, Rajshekhar Harikant 9, Koushik V. not out 4, Extras 12;
Ramkrishna Ghosh 1/35, Pradeep Dadhe 1/49, Vicky Ostwal 1/45, Rajvardhan Hangargekar 2/53, Prashant Solanki 4/56, Siddharth Mhatre 0/4)
