PANAJI
Reliance secured a mammoth 135-run win as they made hay against a hapless Mahindra Rise attack to post 227 for 3 in their match of Goa Corporate League on Monday.
Using the tourney as a good practice ahead of the IPL 9, the team almost entirely comprising members of the league’s defending champions, Mumbai Indians, got off the blocks as if on an F1 race track. Pugnacious India discard Parthiv Patel stole the show bludgeoning every bowler into submission to stay unbeaten on 85 in the end from only 61 deliveries with six sweetly timed boundaries and three magnificent maximums.
Parthiv raised 95 runs for the opening wicket with Jitesh Sharma in only 8.3 overs, until his partner was dismissed for a blistering 66 made in only 26 balls with six hits to the fence and five towering sixes. The onslaught was to continue as Parthiv found another big-hitting ally in former India U-19 captain Unmukt Chand who joined the party with a sumptuous 58 (27b, 3x4, 5x6). Together, they smoked into the Mahindra Rise attack reducing them to ashes with a 99-run second wicket partnership in just 53 deliveries.
While their last-match hero Nikhil Naik got out cheaply this time, Akshadeep Nath who replaced him at the crease stayed with Parthiv till the end with his 11 coming of just three balls with a four and a six.
In an otherwise listless Mahindra Rise attack, their pacer Gaurav Bengre was the only bowler to go under 10 runs an over with 1/29 from his four overs across two spells. Chandan Chauhan and Harsh T were the other bowlers to capture a wicket each.
Chasing the huge score, a new-look Mahindra Rise line-up which were trounced by Goa Lions in the inaugural match on Saturday, dourly batted out their overs to end with 92 for 8. Opener Ankit Shastri top-scored for them with 20.
The Reliance bowling looked pretty healthy with each bowler employed playing their part towards the landslide 135 runs win. Leading the pack was Vinay Kumar who picked 2 for 15 from his quota of overs, while Krunal Pandya took 2 for 10 from two overs. J Suchith, Axar Patel and Akshdeep Nath took a wicket apiece.
In the second match, a Group A encounter played under floodlights, ONGC overpowered CAG by five wickets. Batting first, CAG scored a respectable 171 for 5, riding on Biplab Samantry's unbeaten 98. ONGC then chased down the target with seven balls to spare. Tanmay Shrivastav led the chase with a fluent 66, while Mayank Tehlan scored 45.
BRIEF SCORES
Reliance 227 for 3 (Parthiv Patel 85*, Jitesh Sharma 66, Unmukt Chand 58) beat Mahindra Rise 92 for 8 (Ankit Shastri 20; Krunal Pandya 2 for 10, Vinay Kumar 2 for 15) by 135 runs; Man of the match “ Parthiv Patel (Reliance)
ONGC 174 for 5 (Tanmay Shrivastav 66, Mayank Tehlan 45) beat CAG 171 for 5 (Biplab Samantry 98*) by 5 wickets; Man of the match - Biplab Samantry (CAG)
