TUESDAY, MAY 07, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: Panjim Powerplay defeated Madgaon Royals by 59 runs to enter the final of Desserts n More Sarsangan Super Series Cricket in the qualifier II match played at S K ground, Malkarne.
With a spot in the final at stake for the winners, Panjim Powerplay put in to bat first, under overcast conditions got off to an electrifying start through its openers Anant Prabhu Chodnekar (20, 20 balls, 1x4s, 1x6s) and Sahil Adwalpalkar (33, 27 balls, 5x4s, 1x6s) as they put on 55 runs in 41 balls.
The overcast skies soon making way for the sun saw runs coming freely from the blades of Kaushal Hattangadi (13, 10 balls, 2x4s) and Goa Ranji – stumper Samar Dubhashi (47, 27 balls, 4x4s, 2x6s).
However, Panjim Powerplay lost 3 of their middle order batters without much contribution as they slipped to 115-6 in the 15th over. But, Samar found an able ally in Amith Kamat (30, 17 balls, 2x4s, 3x6s) and their 53 run partnership in 26 balls for the 7th wicket lifted not just the spirits of the team mates and the crowd but also ensured that Panjim Powerplay put up a sizeable total of 181 all out on board. For the Royals, Rohan Audi 3-24 was the pick of the bowlers while Aditya Dalal 2-37, Vikram Gaitonde 2-39 and Shaunit Sawardekar 1-23 did the supporting role. Shaunit Sawardekars 15th wicket took him to pole position amongst the highest wicket takers of the Super Series.
In reply, the Royals did not get off to a desired start, being kept quiet by a disciplined bowling attack. The Royals skipper Damodar Pai Patnekar (50, 32 balls, 6x4s, 2x6s) continued his good form to take his total run aggregate to 339 runs, the most in the Super Series.
Barring his heroics, none of the batters could reach double figures except Vikram Gaitonde (10), with extras contributing 12. Kartik Hattangadi, the premier allrounder was brilliantly caught and bowled by Samar while Granthik Buyao’s fielding antics on the boundary got rid of the Team owner Ashesh Pai Dukle.
Some splendid fielding and disciplined bowling saw the formidable Madgaon Royals crumble to a paltry 122 in 19.2 overs as the Panjim Powerplay team emerged victorious by a huge margin of 59 runs. The successful bowlers were Nimay Kamat with figures of 3-20, Samar Dubhashi 2-17, Rasik Pai Khot 1-14, Guru Bale 1-16 and Granthik Buyao 1-25.
Panjim Powerplay team, after losing the first three matches has made it to the final on the basis of six consecutive wins and will face MLT PDK Kings on April 28, at Arlem cricket ground in the morning. Madgaon Royals were presented the second runners up trophy and medals at the hands of the dignitaries.
Samar Dubhashiwas awarded the man-of-the-match medal and the Estilo Moderno Realty man-of-the-match trophy along with a cash prize of Rs 2,000 for his brilliant all-round show for the MLT PDK Kings. The presentation was done by Dr Satyesh Kamat, Mahesh Kudchadkar and Vitthaldas Bhat in the presence of Gomakant Mahambrey.
In Qualifier I, MLT PDK Kings defeated Madgaon Royals by 4 wickets and 1 ball to spare to enter the final in the match played at Arlem cricket ground.
With the final spot at stake for the winners, put in to bat first on a pitch conducive to stroke play, Madgaon Royals openers Aditya Dalal (27, 28 balls, 2x4s) and Damodar Pai Patnekar (52, 27 balls, 9x4s) put on 77 runs in only 50 balls to give their team a flourishing start, with none of the MLT PDK Kings bowlers able to make any impact, in the absence of their three premier players, Sumiran Amonkar, Animesh Prabhugaonkar and Viraj Puranik.
To rub salt into the already wounded MLT PDK Kings, Kartik Hattangadi (51, 25 balls, 6x4s, 2x6s) and Gaurish Shenvi Lotlikar (44, 25 balls, 2x4s, 3x6s) kept on the tempo with their quick-fire innings, helping the Madgaon Royals to post a mammoth 210-6 in 20 overs. Although, the MLT PDK Kings used 9 bowling options, none could stop the run flow except Saish Hegde 2-27, Vibhav Pai 1-5 and Mehank Dharwadkar 1-30 being the successful wicket takers for the MLT PDK Kings.
In reply, MLT PDK Kings got off to a blazing start through the openers Bhushan Kamat Bambolkar (26, 17 balls, 4x4s, 1x6s) and Siddhesh Sinai Amonkar (41, 28 balls, 5x4s, 2x6s). A fantastic innings from south paw Mehank Dharwadkar (50, 27 balls, 2x4s, 3x6s) helped the MLT PDK Kings reach 138 in 14 overs. However a double strike by the diminutive Aditya Dalal dismissing Sarin Kane (17) and Gaurav Gaitonde (1) in a space of 4 deliveries, left the Kings at a precarious 141-5 in 15 overs, needing 70 to get in the last 30 balls.
Though, the Madgaon Royals looked totally in control, Ved Mahambrey (36 not out, 19 balls, 4x4s, 1x6s) and Pratham Kossambe (38, 13 balls, 6x4s, 1x6s) launched an unbelievable assault on the Royals bowlers to milk 12 runs in the 16th over. The next two overs of batting power-play yielded 21 and 15 runs respectively as the MLT PDK Kings reached 189-5 in 18 overs, needing 22 runs off the last 2 overs.
As the momentum swung the MLT PDK Kings way, 11 more runs were scored in the penultimate over, bringing the target to 11 runs in 6 balls. A 6 from Ved on the 1st ball of the last over almost sealed the match in favour of the MLT PDK Kings. However Pratham got himself run out going for a non existent run on the 2nd ball to raise the anxiety to a feverish level amongst the teams as well as the cheerful spectators.
Ved Mahambrey saw to it that there were no further hiccups as he sealed victory with 2 twos and a boundary to take the MLT PDK Kings to 214-6 in 19.5 overs as they won by 4 wickets and a ball to spare, to make it to the final. Aditya Dalal 2-30 and Shaunit Sawardekar 1-45 were the successful bowlers.
Mehank Dharwadkarwas awarded the Desserts N’More Man-of-the-Match medal and the Estilo Moderno Realty Man-of-the-Match trophy along with a cash prize of Rs 2,000 for his brilliant all-round show for the MLT PDK Kings. The presentation was done by Siddhesh Bodke, Sanjiv Prabhu, Naval Naik and Satish Pilgaonkar in the presence of Gomakant Mahambrey.
