MARGAO
Panjim Powerplay defeated Delite Titans by 11 runs to enter the Qualifier “ II match of the Desserts n More Sarsangan Super Series Cricket at Arlem Cricket ground.
Put in to bat first , Panjim Powerplay were on the back foot with Pradip Shetye wreaking havoc, dismissing two of the batters in a magical spell of fast bowling including a maiden over. Anant Prabhu Chodnekar was the only top batter to offer resistance making 17 while 5 of the top and middle orders batters failed to reach double figures as the Panjim Powerplay team struggled at 61-6 in the 10th over.
However, the skipper Samar Dubashi, Goa Ranji wk- batter, brought into play all his expertise as he made the Titans fielders chase the leather all across the field during his fluent innings of 52 (30 balls). A late order impetus from Laxmikant Kurade (30, 24 balls, 2x4s, 1x6s) and Amith Kamat 29 (15 balls) during which they stitched a valuable 47 runs partnership in only 23 balls helped the Panjim Powerplay to a respectable total of 174 before they folded up in 19.5 overs.
The total was bloated with the help of 27 sundries which included 22 wides from the Delite Titans. Avinash Kossambe 2-3, Pradip Shetye 2-17, Arsh Sardesai 2-42, Pranav Kamat 1-12 and Nikhil Virginkar 1-31 were the successful bowlers for the Titans.
In reply, Titans were off to a disastrous start losing their top 4 batters for single digits to be 53-4 in the 7th over. An entertaining 54 (31 balls) by Arsh Sardesai kept the Titans in the match as they reached 85-5 in the 10th over. Nikhil Virginkar (20, 24balls) and Prabhakar Shetye (26, 19 balls) tried their best, but their inability to send the ball across the ropes kept increasing the required run rate. The Titans problems got further compounded with Granthik Buyao dismissing Avinash Kossambe for 1 as the Titans slid to 119-7 in the 15th over.
A late burst by Samruddh Hegde Desai (12, 9 balls), Pradip Shetye (16 not out) and Sudin Karmali (8 not out) was not enough as the Delite Titans could muster only 163/9 in 20 overs. The total sundries from the Panjim Powerplay were only 12 runs including 10 wides. The difference between the two sides were the wides conceded earlier by the Delite Titans which were 22 as opposed to the 10 given by the Panjim Powerplay team, which emerged the winners by a margin of just 11 runs.
Panjim Powerplay with the win earned a place in the Qualifier “ II against the Madgao Royals, with the winners to face off with the MLT PDK Kings having already made it to the finals. Samar Dubhashi was awarded the Desserts n More Man of the Match medal.
