Panaji: Exciting contests are currently being witnessed in the Goa Premier Division League, organized by the Goa Cricket Association, with players’ individual performances lighting up the grounds. In an important match played at the GCA Academy ground in Porvorim, Chowgule Sports Club registered a valuable victory by defeating Margao Cricket Club by 4 wickets within just two days. With this win, they entered the final of the tournament.
In this match, Margao Cricket Club won the toss and decided to bat first, but their decision completely backfired in the first innings. MCC’s entire team was dismissed for just 101 runs in the first innings. Chowgule Sports Club’s Shubham Tari produced a devastating bowling performance, taking 6 wickets for 38 runs and breaking the backbone of MCC’s batting. In reply, Chowgule SC posted a big total of 246 runs in the first innings, in which Gauresh Kambli contributed 50 runs. MCC’s Rudresh Sharma took 4 wickets in an attempt to stop Chowgule, but Chowgule still managed to gain a big lead of 145 runs in the first innings.
In the second innings, MCC made a strong comeback, the entire credit for which goes to Aryan Narvekar. Aryan played an explosive knock of 154 runs off 163 balls, which included 13 fours and 12 towering sixes. On the strength of his 150-plus innings, MCC scored 289 runs in the second innings and set a target of 145 runs for Chowgule. However, the Chowgule SC batsmen successfully met the challenge. Gauresh Kambli’s 55 runs and Pradnesh Gaonkar’s unbeaten 53 runs helped Chowgule chase the target for the loss of 4 wickets and seal the victory.
Meanwhile, the match between Panjim Gymkhana and Dempo Cricket Club at the Bandodkar ground of Panjim Gymkhana has reached a very exciting stage. After Panjim Gymkhana were all out for 143 in the first innings, Dempo Cricket Club scored 266 runs in the first innings on the strength of Snehal Kauthankar’s century of 119 runs and took a big lead. Abhinandan Thakur of Gymkhana tried to restrict Dempo by taking 5 wickets for just 15 runs. Currently, in the second innings, Panjim Gymkhana have scored 184 for 5 and hold a slender lead of 61 runs, making all eyes set on the result on the final day.
Also, at the NAPEX ground in Sankhali, a run-fest was witnessed between Salgaocar Cricket Club and Geno Sports Club. Salgaocar declared their innings at 351 for 8 on the strength of captain Yash Kasavankar’s 121 runs. In reply, Geno Sports Club scored 349 for 9 and is just 2 runs behind Salgaocar’s total. For Geno, Vikas Singh scored 87 runs, while Salgaocar’s Yash Kasvankar, after batting, also shone in bowling by taking 4 wickets, showing all-around brilliance.
Brief Scores:
Margao Cricket Club, first innings – all out 101
Chowgule Sports Club, first innings – all out 246
Margao Cricket Club, second innings – from 5 without loss in 2 overs to all out 289 in 60.2 overs (Aryan Narvekar 154, Chigurupati Venkata 41, Rudresh Sharma not out 21, extras 18, Shubham Tari 4-74, Felix Alemao 3-33, Darshan Misal 3-68), Chowgule Sports Club, second innings – 145 for 4 in 39.4 overs (Gauresh Kambli 55, Pradnesh Gaonkar not out 53, Madhur Yadav 29, extras 1, Rudresh Sharma 2-54, Anuj Yadav 2-71), Player of the Match: Shubham Tari
Panjim Gymkhana, first innings – all out 143
Dempo Cricket Club, first innings – from 137 for 3 in 38 overs to all out 266 in 68.5 overs (Snehal Kauthankar 119, Aditya Kota 61, Mohit Yadav 13, extras 5, Abhinandan Thakur 5-15, Vijesh Prabhudesai 4-72, Shadab Khan 1-52), Panjim Gymkhana, second innings – 184 for 5 in 53 overs (Ishan Gadekar 56, Afridsab 37, Dishank Prabhu Misquin 23, extras 11, Abhinav Tejrana 3-68, Samit Mishra 1-44, Mohit Yadav 1-37)
Salgaocar Cricket Club, first innings – 351 for 8 declared, Geno Sports Club, first innings – from 11 without loss in 3 overs to 349 for 9 in 86 overs (Vikas Singh 87, Manthan Khutkar 57, Manish Kakode 45, Nihal Surlakar 41, Shiven Borkar not out 36, extras 11, Yash Kasvankar 4-90, Amulya Pandrekar 2-88, Ruthvik Naik 2-102).
