PANAJI
Dempo Challengers beat Manas Mavericks to go top of the inaugural Panjim Gymkhana Members League (PGML) at Panjim Gymkhana ground, Campal on Saturday.
Prescon Panthers also notched up a win, against Baale Tigers, in the day’s second fixture. The Challengers have two wins in two matches, while the win for Panthers was their second in three matches.
In the morning, Dempo Challengers scored a comfortable 13-run victory over Manas Mavericks. Electing to bat, Dempo posted 154/6 as openers Naishad Kamat (39 off 34 balls, 2 fours and 2 sixes) and Geet Sail (35 off 39 balls, 4 fours) put on 64 in 9.1 overs. Captain Mukhtar Kadri also contributed a league- maximum 35 off 24 balls. The total proved sufficient as Manas Mavericks failed to make a contest out of it.
Requiring 27 runs off the last over, Mahendra Pai Kuchelkar hit a six and a four to make it a 17 off 4 ball-equation. But that assault on Aryan Mashelkar's bowling, proved too little too late; Manas Mavericks remaining winless in their two matches.
In the second clash of Matchday 3, Prescon Panthers controlled the important moments of their match against Baale Tigers to register an easy 19-run victory. The Panthers batted first on winning the toss to post 168/6. Captain Vivek Karapurkar scored a fiery 12-ball 39 down the order, which powered them to the highest total of the league.
Baale Tigers started out very confidently. Their captain Kapil Angle and player-coach Sudin Kamat provided a solid start to the Tigers run-chase with 61-run stand at the top. Sudin scored 33 runs off 24 balls with 4 boundaries and 2 sixes. After he departed, Paresh Miskin ensured that the run-rate was maintained as he scored 35(24b, 3 fours & 1 sixer). Kapil Angle too got to 35 (31b,4 fours). However, there was no set player to guide the Tigers towards a finish once Paresh's stay came to an end on reaching the 35-run limit, with 50 runs needed in the last six overs with seven wickets in hand. In the end, Panthers outsmarted the Tigers to restrict them to 149/5 after Buddhadev Mangaldas dealt a double blow in the 16th over, removing Rohit Mehta and Govind Gawas; thereby snuffing out Baale Tigers' chance of a win.
BRIEF SCORES
