ADITYA Ahuja and Mohd Faiz struck centuries as Navniketan Cricket Club successfully chased down the 346-run target, set by Eleven Star Cricket Club, losing only three wickets in their opening Group league match of the Dr MN Dorairajan Trophy on Saturday. At the DY Patil School ground, Eleven Star CC, who enjoyed a 59-run first innings lead, declared their second innings on 286-5. It left Navniktean CC with the tall order of chasing down 346 runs in 45 overs for an outright victory. With nothing to lose, Navniketan CC openers Faiz (120, 104b, 5x4, 5x6) and Ahuja (155, 111b, 9x4, 7x6) came out firing on all cylinders.

 

The duo added 287 runs in 34.1 overs in a match-winning partnership. Even though both fell towards the end, Alok Wadkar (38*) and Vedant Dighade (7*) saw them home with 9 balls to spare. In another match at the WCL ground, MRCC won on first innings lead against Ruby Colts after a tame draw. BRIEF SCORES At WCL Ground: MRCC 1st innings 301 all out in 68.2 overs (Rinku Chhikara 47, Tushar Kadu 129, Punit Mohture 46; Ashit Singh 4-95). Ruby Colts 1st innings 219 all out in 73.4 overs (Abhishek Agrawal 84, Varun Bisht 41; Ganesh Bhosale 6-91). MRCC 2nd innings 204-9 in 66 overs

 

(Amaan Hussain 66, Aanad Tale 37; Varun Bisht 3-54). Ruby Colts 2nd innings 132-3 in 33.3 overs (Yash Patil 40, Abhishek Agrawal 58 no). Match drawn; MRCC won on first innings lead. At DY Patil International School Ground: Eleven Star Cricket Club 1st innings 415 all out in 89.4 overs (Bharath Naidu 101, Akshay Dullarwar 161, Tejas Soni 41; Varun Palandurkar 4-83). Navniketan Cricket Club 1st innings 356-6 in 90 overs (Aditya Ahuja 65, Akshay Agarwal 114, Vedant Dighade 96 not out). ESCC 2nd innings 286-5 decl in 43 overs (Gautam Vaidya 49, Akash Kumar 75, Bharath Naidu 50). Navniketan Cricket Club 2nd innings 346-3 in 42.3 overs (Aditya Ahuja 155, Faiz 120). Navniketan won by 7 wickets.