PANJIM: Alcon MCC and Dempo Cricket Club took charge of their respective GCA Goa Premier League semi-finals against Salgaocar Cricket Club and Manas Panjim Gymkhana respectively on Monday.
MCC bowled out Salgaocar for 207 runs in 70.1 overs and then raced to 74/0 in their first innings at Panjim Gymkhana ground. At GCA Academy ground, Porvorim, Dempo CC reached 364/9 in 90 overs.
The highlight of Salgaocar innings was captain Deepraj Gaonkar’s knock of 72 runs in 113 balls. The skipper hit 10 fours in his trademark entertaining stay at the crease. He was involved in the highest partnership of their innings that of 81 runs for the fifth wicket, with Yash Kasvankar (35 runs). Some of the other notable contributions with the bat, came from Gaurish Kambli (37 runs) and Devankumar Chittem (21). Wickets were shared amongst MCC bowlers with Keith Pinto and Vedant Naik taking 3 wickets each while captain Darshan Misal had two scalps. Heramb Parab and Samarth Rane picked a wicket each.
MCC came out for their first essay with the bat in a confident frame of mind. Opening duo of Sumiran Amonkar (40) and Prathamesh Gawas (31) played with authority in notching up an unbeaten partnership of 74 runs at stumps.
In the other semi-final, an unbeaten century by dependable all-rounder Vikas Singh (117 not out), half-centuries by captain Lakshay Garg (69) and Vasu Tiwari (61) propelled Dempo to a challenging 364/9 at stumps on the first day. With the lanky Vikas still at the crease with last man Fardin Khan for company, Dempo will be looking to add as many runs to the total, to bat Panjim Gymkhana out of the contest.
Dempo, who had lost half their side inside 75 runs earlier in the day, have to thank their lower order batters for a marvelous recovery that has put last year’s finalists in a commanding position.
Dempo’s repair work started with a 79-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Lakshay and Vasu. then, 51 runs were added for the seventh wicket between Vikas and Lakshay, who struck six boundaries and two sixers, before Saiesh Kamat (32) combined with Vikas for a 48-run stand for the eighth wicket. Rohan Bogati came in at No 10 and scored 26 runs and in the process, raised 50 runs for the ninth wicket with Vikas, who played some well executed big shots 14 of them being boundary hits.
MCC’s Shubham Tari and Heramb Parab picked up three wickets each. Prathamesh Dongre claimed two, while Manish Kakode took one.
