PANAJI
Former India stumper Syed Kirmani delighted the crowd with his spectacular batting and elastic wicket keeping as Margao Cricket Academy beat the Press XI by 15 runs at Fatorda grounds.
Skipper Kirmani won the toss and elected to bat as MCA piled up 145 for 3 with Aditya Angle (41) top-scoring for the side. Then former Goa Ranji player Hemant Angle joined Kirmani to stitch a fourth-wicket partnership of 47 runs in four overs with Kirmani staying unbeaten on 19, delighting the crowd with some spectacular strokes at 66.
The Press XI was on their way to victory before Kirmani effected a superb run out. Abhijit Sawant (2 for 20), Hemant Angle (2 for 11), Lino Fernandes (2 for 5) with Amey Kossambe (1 for 3) struck at regular intervals to give MCA a victory by 15 runs. The game turned as Sudin Kamat caught a reflex catch of Aniruddh (19) after Shailesh (21) and Anil (29) had given a good start to the Press XI.
Ramakant Angle, the patron of MCA, was introduced to the players with Kirmani. Kirmani is in Goa for the valedictory function of Margao Cricket Academy’s silver jubilee function.
