Margao
MCC Royals opened their account in the 10th edition of the Members League Cricket, organized by Margao Cricket Club, with a convincing 17-run victory over MCC Legends on Wednesday under floodlights at the MCC Ground. This win marked Royals’ first success after two back-to-back losses, while it ended Legends’ two-match winning streak.
After winning the toss and opting to bowl first, Legends made an early breakthrough, dismissing Royals opener Chirag Naik cheaply. However, the Royals bounced back with a steady 48-run partnership between Samrudh Bharne (27 off 27, 1 four) and Vinay Sambari, who scored a crucial 34 off 25 balls, including 3 fours and 2 sixes.
Skipper Aditya Angle (35 off 27, 4 fours) added stability in the middle overs, while a key unbeaten knock from Shailesh Redkar (35 off 25) powered the Royals to a competitive total of 157/5 in their 20 overs. Legends’ bowlers Dinraj Pai Khot (2/16), Amod Borkar (1/13), and Sandeep Dalal (1/28) impressed with economical spells.
In reply, Legends stumbled early in their chase of 158. Royals captain Aditya Angle struck with the very first ball, removing opener Akhil Nadkarni. The Legends’ batting order faltered as Illiyas Naroo (3) and Amod Borkar (7) fell cheaply, leaving them reeling at 32/3.
Despite the collapse, Vasudev Kundaiker (35 off 32) and Sahil Advalpalkar (34 not out off 29) attempted to rebuild the innings. Late fireworks from Gopal Gawas (23 off 9, 2 fours and 2 sixes) offered hope, but the Legends ultimately fell short, getting bowled out for 140.
For the Royals, Shailesh Redkar delivered an all-round performance, taking 3/13 in his four overs and earning the Player of the Match award. Amey Prabhudessai, Rueben Kareker, Dinraj Pai Khot, and Aditya Angle chipped in with a wicket each.
This thrilling encounter highlighted the competitive spirit of the Members League Cricket and sets the stage for more action-packed matches in the coming days.
