Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: Salcete Young Stallions beat Delite Titans by 43 runsin the Desserts n More u25 Boys Sarsangan Cricket Series at Arlem Cricket Ground.
Electing to bat first, Salcete Young Stallions got off to a flourishing start, thanks to Smit Dalvi who blasted 55* (38 balls, 3 x 4s, 4 x 6s) and Neel Netravalkar 50 (43 balls, 1 x 4s, 1 x 6s), putting 118 runs for the opening wicket off just 12.5 overs. Coming into bat at No: 3, the diminutive Aditya Dalal soon showed his class with a swashbuckling 52* (21 balls, 7 x 4s, 2 x 6s), which had an array of strokes all around the ground, a perfect “Dilscoop” standing out with the Titans fielders being made to look like mere spectators. The trio helped their team post an imposing 199/6 in their allotted 20 overs.
For Titans, only their skipper Sanat Prabhudesai got due respect with figures of 2-18 and was supported by Ashay Ambe and Ved Mahambrey with a wicket each.
In reply, Delite Titans got off to a decent startthrough their openers Animesh Prabhugaonkar 11 (16 balls. 1 x 4s) and Ved Mahambrey 31 (21 balls, 5 x 4s). But Titans soon lost the momentum with the introduction of double spin attack of right arm off-spin of Smit Dalvi and left arm orthodox spin of Ishan Hodarkar, losing wickets at regular intervals. Though Sanat Prabhudesai 16 (19 balls, 2 x 4s), Granthik Buyao 25 (21 balls, 1 x 4s, 2 x 6s), Somay Naik 27* (19 balls, 3 x 4s) and Aditya Keni 11* (12 balls, 1 x 4s) helped Delite Titans stay in contention, the asking rate proved too much for the Titans under the fading light as they managed to reach 156/7 in 20 overs, losing by 43 runs
For Stallions, the pick of the bowlers were Smit Dalvi 2-13 and Ishaan Hodarkar 2-14 with support from Neel Netravalkar 1-5 and Anurag Borker 1-22.
Smit Dalvi was awarded the Desserts n More Man of the Match medal for his brilliant all round display for the Salcete Young Stallions.
In another match, Mapusa Dream Crushers beat Delite Titans by 1 wicket and 1 ball to spare in the Desserts n More +45 Veterans Sarsangan Cricket Series at Arlem Cricket Ground.
Electing to bat first, Delite Titans put up an imposing 175/9 in their allotted 20 overs, thanks to Sanjay Netravalkar who made 46 (42 balls, 6 x 4s, Avinash Kossambe 37 (27 balls, 4 x 4s), Vishnu Naik Namshikar 31 (19 balls, 3 x 4s) & Mahendra Khandeparkar 11 (7 balls, 2 x 4s). MDC were quite generous in their bowling conceding 28 wides in a total of 33 extras.
The highlight of the Titans innings being a 88 run partnership off just 57 balls stitched between Sanjay Netravalkar and Avinash Kossambe for the 2ndwicket which laid the foundation for the Titans total. For MDC, the successful bowlers were Dr. Sagar Salgaocar 2-26, Mahesh Churi 2-33, Mahesh Kamat Bambolkar 1-11, Mahesh Kudchadkar 1-15 and Rajesh Colvalcar 1-32.
In reply, Mapusa Dream Crushers were off to a disastrous start losing both the openers to the swing of Pradip Shetye with the score at 13. However, DySP (South) Rajendra Prabhudesai 50* (37 balls, 8 x 4s) in the company of the old warhorse Sudin Kamat 28 (24 balls, 4 x 4s) and later with Anant Chodnekar 15 (11 balls, 1 x 6s) led the fightback for MDC stitching important partnerships. At 77-5 (11.2 overs) and then at 114-7 (14.4 overs), the Sarsanganpredictor was tilted in favour of a Delite Titans win.
The same was however proved wrong thanks to a late burst by the lower order comprising of the MDC skipper Rajesh Colvalcar 15 (11 balls, 1 x 4s), Abhay Karande 23 (14 balls, 3 x 4s), Mahesh Churi 11* (5 balls, 2 x 4s) and Shailesh Mahajan 9* (3 balls, 2 x 4s), with some lusty blows and terrific running in between the wickets, aided by some slopy fielding and lacklustre bowling by the Titans, helping MDC reach 177/9 in 19.5 overs and edge past the Titans by 1 wicket and 1 ball to spare.
For Titans, the successful bowlers were Pradip Shetye, the skipper with terrific figures of 3-1-15-2and supported by Sandesh Kamat Bambolkar 2-31, Samruddh Hegde Desai 1-31
Rajendra Prabhudesai for his brilliant innings and Mahesh Churi for his allround show were jointly awarded the Desserts n More Man of the Match medal for helping the Mapusa Dream Crushers win the match from an improbable situation.
