the goan I network
PANAJI
Goa Premier League 2018 finals between Geno Sports Club and Dempo Cricket Club, is delicately poised with the ball dominating the bat on Day 1 at GCA Academy ground, Porvorim.
Electing to bat, Dempo were all out for 146 in 39.4 overs. All-rounder Robin D’Souza batting as low as number 9, hit a few lusty blows to top-score in the innings with an unconquered 39 (6x4,1x6). Aditya Suryavanshi (26), Darshan Misal (22) and Akshat Reddy (21) were the other batsmen with 20-plus scores to their name. In the Geno attack, Vikas Mishra stood out with a return of 6/55. Saurabh Bandekar provided able support with 3/61 while Sagar Naik picked the other wicket to fall.
Geno, in reply, stuttered to 146/9 at stumps in 44.5 overs with scores leveled. Opener Sangram Atitkar made a solid 64 (114b, 7x4), with Sagun Kamat making a vital 29 in the top-order. The pair forged an important second-wicket stand of exactly 50 until the latter’s dismissal at 78 which triggered a slide. Middle-order bat Manthan Khutkar braved out the day at an unbeaten 32 (59b, 5x4) when umpires called stumps after Vikas Mishra was ninth batsman out for nought falling to Darshan Misal against the run of play. Number 11 Sagar Naik will face Misal’s all-important last delivery of the incomplete over at the start of Day 2 with the scores tied. In the Dempo attack, captain Darshan Misal did a star turn with returns of 4/41 with pacer Vinay Choudhary also doing well with 4/47 and pace bowling all-rounder Robin D’souza chipping in with a wicket.
