MARGAO: Desserts n’ More Avengers bounced back strongly winning the last 3 league matches in the last week of December to move to the top of the points table, with 8 points and a Net Run Rate of 0.599. Priority Titans had a good outing in the same period losing only to current table toppers Avengers to move to the 2nd position with 8 points and a NRR of 0.477, while MLT Cricket Club are also tied with 8 points but on 3rd position with a NRR of 0.236, the top 3 top teams being separated by NRR.
Commonwealth Fountainheads making their debut are on 4th position with 6 points with a NRR 0.740 and are tied with Ultracon Madgaon Royals on 6 points but with a NRR of -0.581, they have slipped to the 5th position. Mapusa Dream Crushers, SinQ Rangers and DNS / VMJ’s Rookies take the next 3 spots with 4 points each with only NRR separating the 6th (NRR 0.697), 7th (NRR 0.242) and 8th (NRR -0.537) place standings.
Vimson Panjim Powerplay having lost 3 of their matches in close encounters are on 9th position with 2 points (NRR 0.293), while 108 Delit Titans have lost all their 5 matches and are on 10th position at the bottom of the table with no points.
With 2 more rounds of league matches to play in Sarsangan Super Series. Aditya Prabhugaonkar with 157 runs, Atchut Naik Dalal with 154 runs and Eeshan Kamat with 147 runs lead the batting honours, while the bowling honours are led by Siddhesh Bodke and Neelay Naik Dalal with 9 wickets each while Animesh Prabhugaonkar with 8 wickets follows them.
Laxmikant Kurade with 8 dismissals leads the wicketkeepers charts followed by Nityay Kuncolienkar with 7 dismissals while amongst the fielders Raunak Nargundker and Pranav Kamat lead with 6 dismissals each. Animesh Prabhugaonkar leads the Player of the Series charts followed by Aditya Prabhugaonkar, Neelay Naik Dalal, Manish Kakode and Samprabh Phaldesai.
A win from their remaining 2 matches for the top 3 teams, Desserts n More Avengers, Priority Titans and MLT Cricket Club could seal their spot in the semifinals. The return of Samar Dubhashi from Vijay Hazare trophy duties for Goa should help the Priority Titans while MLT Cricket Club will look to the duo of Manish and Anish Kakode to boost their chances.
Amod Borkar has been the fulcrum for the Fountainheads with his all-round show and they would be looking for a repeat from him as they have had a chequered series so far and will hope to seal their spot in the knockouts with wins in the remaining 2 matches. A win for Fountainheads in the next match against MLT Cricket Club would dash the hopes of Vimson Panjim Powerplay who have just 2 points and will exit from making it to the knockouts like 108 Delite Titans who are out of reckoning and now need to play for pride. Ultracon Madgaon Royals will look forward to big wins from their 2 matches to make it to the knockouts.
Likewise the Dream Crushers, SinQ Rangers and the Rookies who are on 4 points each would be rooting for a MLT win as their chances of making it to the knockouts would get brightened if Fountainheads and Royals do not win more matches as both are on 6 points. The return of Kaushal Hattangadi will galvanize the Dream Crushers and they will hope to seal their spot in the knockouts with 2 wins in the remaining 2 matches.
The SinQ Rangers hopes of making it to the knockouts will depend upon the availability of Tunish Sawkar and their skipper Sahil Adwalpalkar and they will hope his leadership will help them to take their spot in the knockouts with 2 wins in the remaining 2 matches. The evening match tomorrow is a must win game for the Rangers and the Rookies who are on 4 points each. The DNS / VMJ’s Rookies have played some good cricket but losses in some close matches have pushed them back. Their morale boosting win against the Fountainheads should help them give their best and they could be the dark horses should they win their remaining 2 matches
The defending champions Vimson Panjim Powerplay need to win their remaining 2 matches and hope that other results are favourable to help them make it to the knockouts while the 108 Delite Titans need to play for pride like they did in the flood light match and hope that they spoil the chances of a few teams from making it to the knockouts.
