Panaji: Salgaocar Cricket Club notched up a fantastic team performance with captain Deepraj Gaonkar leading the charge with a brilliant bowling and fielding display in the semi-final victory over Manas Panjim Gymkhana, in the ongoing Bandodkar Premier T20 tournament at Panjim Gymkhana ground here on Wednesday.
Salgaocar CC, who stunned Manas Panjim Gymkhana by 17 runs, will take on Geno Sports Club in the title clash on Thursday morning.
Chasing Salgaocar’s fighting total of (150/9), Panjim Gymkhana were consolidating beautifully from a position of 58/3 in 7.3 overs to 91/3 in 11.2 overs with captain Snehal Kauthankar batting superbly for his strokeful 44 off 33 balls (3×4, 2×6) while Ninad Rathwa was giving him a solid company at the other end.
At this moment, Deepraj, who is shaping to be Goa’s fielding great and one of the best all-rounders, took a brilliant diving catch off his own bowling to send Snehal back and the contest turned dramatically into Salgaocar’s favour. Ninad (29 off 21 balls; 3×4) followed his skipper soon after with Amulya Pandrekar taking a good catch at covers off Deepraj and Manas Panjim Gymkhana were reduced to 104/5.
With hard-hitting powerhouse Tunish Sawkar, who had showed his explosive capabilities in the match against Alcon MCC in the group stage, still at the crease, the home side were hoping that the strongly-built youngster would be able to haul the team into the contest again. However, he failed to break the shackles and perished for just six runs off the bowling of Subodh Bhati before allrounder Achit Shigwan failed to get on top of a bouncer by Deepraj and skied it for Devankumar Chittem to take a simple catch at short fine leg. Tanay Thyagarajan (14) and Shubham Desai (12) hung around for some time hitting a boundary each, but the required run-rate had climbed to over 10 in the last four overs and the writing was on the wall.
Deepraj, who took three crucial wickets giving away 29 runs off his four overs, was named the player-of-the match. Salgaocar’s Atharva Ankolekar and Lakmesh took two wickets each while Subodh and Amulya claimed a wicket each as Manas Panjim Gymkhana were all out for 133 runs in 19.3 overs.
Earlier put into bat, Salgaocar looked headed to a modest total before lusty blows late down the order by Subodh Bhati (28 off 15 balls; 2×4, 2×6) and No 11 batter Lakmesh Pawne (10 off 3 balls; 1×4, 1×6) enabled the Vasco-based club to touch the psychological 150-run milestone (150/9). Opener Amogh Desai top-scored with 38 off 28 balls, which consisted six boundaries. Aditya Suryawanshi contributed 27 while captain Deepraj Gaonkar was unusually quiet with his knock of 16 from 22 balls. Manas Panjim Gymkhana bowlers did a decent job with Achit Shigwan and Shubham Tari bagging three wickets each.
Panjim Gymkhana Managing Committee member Narahar Thakur presented the player of the match award to Deepraj.