Porvorim: The Goa Premier League final being played with the Pink Ball, is tantalisingly placed with Manas Panjim Gymkhana and Chowgule Sports Club both having a chance to clinch the premier three-day tournament of Goa Cricket Association, on the third and final day on Wednesday.
After a dramatic second day’s play at GCA Academy ground where 19 wickets went down, Manas Panjim Gymkhana lost their opener Jeevan Chittem while Manthan Khutkar (1 not out) was at the crease when stumps were drawn with the score being 1/1 in 1.3 overs in their second innings. They require 218 runs to win with 9 wickets in hand.
What preceded the last bit of action on Tuesday was the second-inning collapse of Chowgule SC, who had gotten off to a solid start in the second innings with opening pair of Aryan Narvekar (50) and Rijul Pathak (25) putting on 83 runs. Both batters, however, departed in quick succession as Pulkit Narang and Tanay Thyagarajan made the breakthroughs to bring Manas Panjim Gymkhana back into the contest. Kshithij Patel (26) and Manan Hingrajia (26) looked well settled into the repair job with 50 runs raised for third wicket, before hardworking Heramb Patel broke the partnership with a crucial caught-and-bowled dismissal of Kshithij. The Chowgule inning never recovered from there on as Heramb bent his back to claim a deserving fifer (5/25). Mahesh Pithiya played some big shots at the fag end and remained not out on 19 as Chowgule were all for 180 in 57.5 overs.
Earlier, Manas Panjim Gymkhana put up a disappointing display with the bat as they were bundled out for 128 runs in their first innings, conceding a lead of 38 runs. From the overnight position of 74/2, Manas Panjim Gymkhana crashed to 98/6 in the space of first 8 overs on Day 2. Unbeaten overnight, Yogesh Kauthankar (42 off 133 balls) was the only batter trying to apply himself while wickets went down at the other end. He became the 8th wicket to fall before Manas Panjim Gymkhana were all out in exactly 50 overs. Samarth Rane (4/32) and captain Darshan Misal (4/37) were the major wicket-takers.
Scorecard👇
