PANAJI
Desserts N’More Avengers and Manas Mavericks put up emphatic performances in their respective matches in the ongoing PGML 4.0 at Panjim Gymkhana ground here on Saturday.
Manas Mavericks beat Prescon Panthers by a comfortable margin of 41 runs in the first match today and opened their account in the league, in their third outing of the season. The defending champions thus overtook Prescon Panthers, on the basis of superior Net Run Rate while both of them are now on 2 points from 3 matches each.
Later in the day, Desserts N’More Avengers scored a comprehensive 48-run win over second-placed RC Goa, and moved up to third place in the table with four points from four matches.
High-scoring matches provided great entertainment on the day with Desserts N'More Avengers posting the season's highest total of 193/8 riding on quickfire knocks of Pranav Biche (38) and captain Rajshekhar Harikant (38), who was named the Grant Thornton Man-of-the Match.
RC Goa's chase never looked like sustaining itself after quick departures of Nityay Kunkolienkar (35) and Samar Dubhashi (27) with the 3rd wicket partnership of 57 keeping their team in the hunt till then. The Men in Orange fell apart there after being bowled out eventually for 145 in 18.4 overs.
Earlier, Manas Mavericks captain Ilyas Naroo top-scored with his anchor knock of 34 runs while Mehank Dharwadkar (30) and Vardhan Haldankar (28) packed the punch to take the under-pressure team's total to 170/7.
In reply, Prescon Panthers batting department was blown away as Manas pacer Ajinkya Kudtarkar picked up a magnificent five-wicket haul (5/15) and bagged the Grant Thornton Man-of-the Match award. Suraj Hirani's sedate 35 was the top score in the Prescon Panthers' innings.
Goa Cricket Association joint-secretary Rupesh Naik and businessman Dinesh Sinari were the chief guests for the presentation ceremony in the first and second match respectively.
Ajinkya Kudtarkar also emerged as the first bowler to wear the Purple Cap as the Manas Mavericks pacer leads the chart with 9 wickets from 3 matches.
Pranav Biche of Desserts N'More Avengers is leading the batting leader board with 105 runs from 4 innings, and has become the proud recipient of the first Orange Cap for the season.
