By Paritosh Pramanik PAGARIYA Strikers rode on an all-round performance to finish at the second spot behind Bharat Rangers after completion of their league round in the Vidarbha Premier League Season 2 here at VCA’s Jamtha International Stadium on Thursday. In their last league match, Pagariya Strikers defeated out of contention India Warriors by seven wickets to move to the second spot. Inviting India Warriors to bat first, Pagariya Strikers bowlers, led by captain Yash Kadam, restricted them to 147 in 18.4 overs. Spinner Kadam snared three wickets to jump to second spot with 10 wickets in bowlers’ ranking. Sanskar Chavate took two. Chasing the meagre target, Pagariya opener Faiz Sheikh hit a fine 48 runs while Ravikumar Samarth scored 21-ball 43 to emerge top-scorer (304 runs) and got back Orange Cap from Rohit Binkar. Faiz, who scored his runs from 34 balls with two boundaries and as many sixes, jumped to second spot in the batting chart with 270 runs. Samarth and Sheikh added 75 runs for the third wicket as Pagariya Strikers crossed the line in 14.5 overs.

 

Satyam Bhoyar’s second half century of the season was the only saving grace for India Warriors as they posted a below-par score. Warriors could not produce their ‘A’ game as their middle-order flopped. Opener Akshay Wadkar scored 23 runs while last match’s hero Vaibhav Lande could not open his account and was bowled first ball by Chavate. Bhoyar and Wadkar then added 58 runs for the second wicket before the captain was cleaned up by Chavate for his second wicket. Darshan Nalkande, who was leading the side, scored 19 and added 29 runs for the third wicket with Bhoyar before perishing in the 8th over. Abhishek Agrawal was the last recognised batter to score 21 runs and put up 28 for the fourth wicket but he too was sent back in the 12th over after Bhoyar’s innings was cut short by Pushpak Gujar on 50 runs from 24 deliveries. He hit two boundaries and five sixes. Last man Rahul Dongarwar scored 17 to take India Warriors total to 147.