the goan I network
PANAJI
Goa Lions kicked off their campaign with a convincing 32-run win over RBI in a Group B encounter on the second day of the Goa Corporate League 2019 at GCA Academy ground in Porvorim
on Monday.
Put in to bat, Goa Lions posted a formidable 172/8 in their allotted 20 overs. Captain Amogh Desai with talented youngster, Veer Yadav set the tempo by raising a blistering 38-run stand in 4.3 overs. Yadav was the first to return to the hut claimed by Ali Murtaza after making 22.
Amit Verma coming in, played an important hand as he stitched an exact 50-run stand with his captain, Desai. Desai was the next to go for 26 snapped up by Somitra Singh as the score moved to 88/2 midway through the 12th over. Suyash Prabhudessai who has been in great nick in the recent Group C matches of the Syed Mushtaq Trophy in Indore fell soon after for 3 as Somitra Singh picked another victim.
Reduced to 94/3, Verma’s calming influence on the game ensured he not only held his end up but also made a significant 63 (42b, 4x4,4x6) before becoming Somitra’s third stick. The home team did well to smash 47 runs in the last four overs despite losing four wickets as well.
At the death, Snehal Kauthankar coming in unusually at 8, played a short but effective 4-ball 12 runs cameo. Usually an opener, Vaibhav Govekat at 10, showed his class by smacking an unbeaten 16 with four successive boundaries from as many deliveries. For RBI, Somitra Singh had the best returns of 3/39.
Chasing a healthy target, RBI lost wickets in a clutch upfront. Four batsmen were sent back within 4.1 overs with just 28 runs on board and they could never recover from that. Sumit Kumar showed some restraint as he played with aplomb to make
a 19-ball 30.
Kumar was the fifth wicket to fall on 66 even before RBI could get through half their innings. Wickets began to fall in a heap thereafter. With nothing but solace to play for at 71/8, the visiting captain, Ali Murtaza ensured that his team was not sent in for an early shower as he showed pluck and bravado shouldering his arms with the asking rate reaching alarming proportions. His ally, Somitra Singh used the handle to good effect along with his captain to make 20 aided with two lusty blows, but it was a little too late.
Murtaza’s heroics (46, 28b, 4x4,3x6) was brought to an innings close aptly by Maliksab Sirur who started the slide and to end up with impressive figures of 4/41 with his off-breaks. RBI folded for 140 with a ball remaining in the game. Goa Lions’ Amit Verma was adjudged as the player of the match.
In a Group A match played under floodlights, ONGC beat Air India by six wickets. After being put in to bat, Air India could only manage to score 127/7. ONGC easily chased down the target in 15.2 overs. Mayank Dagar, who scalped 4-17 for ONGC, was adjudged as the player
of the match.
On Tuesday, Goa Lions will take on IOC in the afternoon match in a Group B tie, while ONGC play D.Y. Patil in
Group A.
