PANAJI
Baale Tigers and Prescon Panthers won the opening-day matches of the first edition of the Panjim Gymkhana Members League (PGML) at Panjim Gymkhana ground, Campal on Saturday.
Baale scored an emphatic 32-run victory over Manas Mavericks in the evening match after Prescon Panthers had beaten LPK11 by three wickets in the league opener in the morning session. Earlier, the league was launched with a ceremony involving players and team owners of the Twenty20 cricket league organised by the club -- one of the oldest and premier sports clubs considered as the nursery of cricket in the State.
Team owners of the five participating teams - Iftikar Aga of Prescon Panthers, Krupa Kholkar of Manas Mavericks, Shrinivas Dempo of Dempo Challengers, Nandan Kudchadkar of LPK11 and Ashwin Chandoik of Baale Tigers released balloons into the air to mark the inauguration of the tournament in the presence of Manoj Caculo, President, Panjim Gymkhana and Rajesh Khaunte, Hon. Secretary, Panjim Gymkhana.
In Day 1 action, Baale Tigers posted 150/7 against Manas Mavericks after electing to bat. Sudin Kamat (35 off 28 balls) and middle-order batsman Sairaj Dhond (35 off 28 balls) starred with the bat to post a decent total after a shaky start to the Tigers’ innings.
Manas Mavericks failed to click in their run chase as they lost wickets at regular intervals, crashing to 118 all out. Baale Tigers captain Kapil Angle (3/28) and Balkrishna Hodarkar’s two wickets helped the defending team to secure an easy win as all-rounder Shekhar Amonkar played a lone strong hand with 33. Sairaj, who displayed great touch while batting and also claimed a wicket, was named Man of the match.
In the first match, chasing LPK 11’s total of 154/9, Prescon rode on solid knocks by Iftikar Agha (38) and Swayam Naik (38) to reach 155/7 in 17.3 overs for a winning start in the inaugural edition.
Iftikar and Swayam put on a crucial 62-run partnership for the fifth wicket to provide the spine to the run chase after Prescon had got off to a shaky start. Iftikar, who was named man of the match, slammed five boundaries and two sixes in his 18-ball knock while Swayam hit three sixes and two boundaries in his 19-ball stay at the crease.
Earlier having put in to bat, a strokeful unbeaten 44-run knock by captain Anup Kudchadkar was the highlight of LPK 11’s inning of 154/9.
The league will be streamed live on YouTube (https://youtu.be/Q7JUPcnoDE8).
