Red storm into final

 

 

TEAM Red stormed into final of the Twenty20 cricket tournament organised by VCA by drubbing Team Green by 122 runs in a one-sided semi-final at VCA Stadium Jamtha on Wednesday. They will play Orange, who beat Sky Blue by fours wickets in the other semis, in final to be played on Thursday. In response to Red’s mammoth 213-3, Green innings folded at a meagre 91 in 15.3 overs. Red skipper Jitesh Sharma won the toss and opted to bat first. Southpaw Mandar Mahalle (54; 35b, 4x4, 1x6), who did not get much chances in league matches, and Aman Mokhade (36; 24b, 4x4, 1x6) gave the team a rousing start. They matched each other stroke for stroke and took the team to 80 when the Mokhade was caught by Dharmendra Ahlawat off left-arm spinner Aditya Khilote on last ball of the eighth over. Varun Palandurkar (55*; 33b, 5x4, 1x6) maintained the same tempo.

 

After Ketan Alsi and Harsh Dubey got rid of Parth Rekhade (14) respectively, the scoreboard read 149-3 in 16.2 overs. In the last 22 balls Red collected 64 runs with Sharma going berserk. He lived up to the reputation of being a big-hitter by slamming five sixes and one four in his 14-ball unbeaten 42. Seamer Manan Dosi (4-0-61-0) was on the receiving end as Sharma carted him for four maximums in the final over that yielded 27 runs. With Green needing more than ten runs per over, opener Sanket Subhedar (36; 20b, 2x4, 3x6) started at a brisk pace but Alsi looked completely lost as he made just four from 11 balls. Nachiket Bhute relieved him. Left-arm spinner Parth Rekhade (4-0-19-3) and offie Himanshu Joshii (4-0-16-2) bowled immaculate line giving nothing away. Dharmendra Ahlawat (27*; 24b, 2x4, 1x6) was the only other batter to reach into double digits. Swapnil Bandiwar and Tanmay Kale picked one wicket each. Off-break bowler Mahalle was handed the ball in 16th over with scorecard reading 91-8. He picked both the wickets in three balls without conceding a run to be adjudged man of the match. Orange pip Sky Blue FIRST semi-final played earlier in the day, was a competitive match. Chasing Team Sky Blue’s 153-5, Team Orange made 154-6 with just one ball to spare.

 

Sky Blue skipper Mohit Kale decided to bat first but had a poor outing as he was the first one to be dismissed for one after playing six balls. Seamer Praful Hinge (3-0-21-2) had him caught by Sandesh Drugwar. Other opener R Sanjay, who has been in good form at top of the order, scored yet another fifty. His 62 came off 57 balls and contained six hits to the fence and two over it. Sanjay had a good second wicket partnership with Sourabh Thubrikar (36; 28b, 3x4, 1x6) as the duo took the score from two to 80 in 12 overs.

 

Thubrikar was caught and bowled by Akshay Karnewar. When Sanjay decided to cut loose, he was held at deep mid-wicket by Apoorv Wankhade off offie Abhishek Chourasia. Ravi Jangid (21; 16b, 1x4, 1x6) and Rushabh Rathod (12) could not give the team a late flourish. Sky Blue started the proceedings with Jangid’ (4-0-20-2) slow left-arm spin and the bowler tasted success on the very first ball. Siddhesh Wath missed the line to be clean bowled. Left-handed pair of Prerit Agrawal (39; 33b, 5x4, 1x6) and number three Yash Rathod (40; 35b, 5x4, 1x6). Sanjay’s (4-0-24-2) leg-spin did the trick as both the set batsmen were out in the same over. Kale persisted with Sanjay even after the bowler conceded 18 runs from his first two overs. In his third, Sanjay first caught Agrawal himself and then bowled Rathod. Wankhade (27; 21b, 1x4, 1x6) played responsibly after Karnewar was out without scoring and in company of Sandesh Drugwar (25; 17b, 4x4) kept the required run-rate in check. Kshitij Dahiya (16; 10b, 2x6) almost sealed the match but was out on fourth ball of the last over. With one required from two balls, Man of the match Wankhade gently pushed the ball to long on to book a berth in the final.