Vidarbha Colts storm into final
   Date :22-Oct-2022

Colts storm 
 
 
 
Principal Correspondent
VIDARBHA Colts are on the brink of winning second Vinoo Mankad Trophy. The 2018-19 champions stormed into
the final of this season after they beat formidable Maharashtra by 48 runs (VJD) at St Xavier’s KCA Cricket Ground, on Friday.
Vidarbha will lock horns with Punjab in the final who beat Rajasthan by five wickets in the other semis.
After the batters put up a huge total of near 300 hundred runs, Vidarbha bowlers did well to restrict Maharashtra at 240 for nine from 47 overs when the heavens opened. The tournament has been played under the shadows of rains as first two games of Vidarbha were washed out without a ball being bowled. But when Vidarbha boys stepped onto the field, they have come out with superlative performances match after match, and Friday was no different.
Vidarbha rode on some fine batting from opener Tushar Suryavanshi (84, 117b, 11x4, 1x6) and Danish Malewar (70, 69b, 8x4, 1x6) who both hit fine half centuries. The lower middle order, specially all-rounder Jagjot Singh and captain Mohd Faiz picked quick runs to take Vidarbha’s score to 297.
There were three big partnerships in Vidarbha innings which helped Vidarbha score that huge total.
Suryavanshi and Md Faiz first put up 66 runs from 86 deliveries for the second wicket and then Suryavanshi was joined by Malewar who both added 109 runs for the third wicket.
Ashit Singh (26) and Jagjot Singh hit Maharashtra bowlers to all parts of the field to add 56 runs from just 37 balls for the sixth wicket. The total was a huge ask for Maharashtra and they could not stand in front of firing Vidarbha bowlers. Jagjot and Dharmendra Thakur broke Maharashtra innings snaring six wickets between them (three each) while Raj Singh Chavan took two and Ashit one. Yash Boramani (37, 42b, 3x4, 2x6), Digvijay Patil (78, 77b, 6x4 2x6) and Kiran Chormale (44, 41b, 2x4, 3x6) were the notable scorers from Maharashtra.
Vidarbha has been unbeaten so far in the competition. After the first two games were washed out, Vidarbha made 257 in 49.2 overs against Goa and then reduced them to 6-2 before the heavens opened.