■ Sports Reporter :
Rushabh hits 120 in MSSC’s 305-7 but Lipton record thrilling win with just three balls to spare as Kadu scores 74* from 48 balls
IN A high scoring encounter of VCA organised Guzder League A Division One-Day Cricket T o u r n a m e n t , Rushabh Rathod’s well-compiled hundred went in vain as Ministerial Services Sports Club (MSSC) lost to Lipton Cricket Club by three wickets with just three balls to spare at Citi Gymkhana ground on Sunday. Opting to bat, MSSC amassed 305-7 in 50 overs. After the top three — Jitesh Sharma (20), Anshuman Rath (13) and Akshay Kolhar (33) were back at 93, Rushabh (120; 99b, 10x4, 6x6) joined young southpaw Yash Rathod (75; 86b, 6x4, 1x6) and the duo took the team to 228 in 42.3 overs when the latter departed. Rushabh changed gears hitting sixes and fours as the team added 77 runs in 7.3 overs. For Lipton,VijayYadav,Akshay and Tushar Kadu snared two wickets each. Left-arm pacer Suraj Rai gave MSSC good start cleaning up Vipul Rathod for one.
Abhishek Agrawal (28) and skipper Aniruddha Choudhary (62; 68b, 7x4, 1x6) laid the platform but when both departed the side was reeling at 119-3. Though Akshay (34) and Kushal Pimpalkar (15) got starts, it looked all over when they returned back with the scorecard reading 149-5 in 31.1 overs. Kadu (74*; 48b, 7x4, 2x6) and Aman Mokhade (66; 57b, 8x4, 1x6) took the team to 254-6 in 44 overs when Mokhade got out. The team still needed 52 in six overs. Yadav (14*) hit two sixes from six balls in the end. For the losing team, offie Sanket Subhedar and left-arm tweaker Hardik Varma picked two wickets each. Dahiya guides AIR to victory All-round show by Kshitij Dahiya helped All India Reporter record a comfortable 40-run win over Indian Gymkhana at WCL Ground. Electing to bat, AIR, 130-4 at the half way mark, exploded in the second half to pile 305-9. Coming at number seven, Dahiya hammered 82 from 56 balls with the aid of eight boundaries and five sixes. Opener Sourabh Thubrikar took 75 balls for his 51 that contained six hits to the fence. Anup Fulper contributed 44-ball 46 hitting seven fours. Siddhesh Neral leaked 75 runs for his three wickets. Chasing the big target, Indian Gymkhana lost opener Gyani Kaushik for nought with Dahiya (3-55) striking in his first over.
Vidarbha players R Sanjay (59; 41b, 13x4) and Mohit Kale (53, 67b, 6x4) played contrasting innings. Amit Paunikar scored 64 from 59 balls hitting five fours and three sixes but the team could reach 265 getting bowled out in 45.3 overs. Offie Aman Sharma took 2-42 from his ten overs. MRCC beat Navniketan Vidarbha big-hitter Apoorv Wankhade donned a new role to perfection guiding Medical Representative Cricket Club (MRCC) to a comfortable sixwicket victory over Navniketan Cricket Club at VCA Stadium Jamtha. Putting Navniketan in, MRCC bowlers led by left-arm seamer Shrikant Wagh (3-50), left-arm orthodox Mohit Raut (3-40), Vidarbha seamer lanky Aditya Thakare (2-23) and part-timer Atharva Taide (2-39) shot out the opponents for a below par 219 in 49.4 overs. Left-handed Varun Palandurkar (68; 100b, 5x4, 1x6) and seasoned Dharmendra Ahlawat (63; 108b, 4x4, 1x6) added 136 for the fifth wicket after the team was looking down the barrel at 30-4. Chasing, Wankhade (82, 95b, 9x4, 1x6) and fellow opener AnkushWakode (30) added 58 in 31.2 overs. Pawan Parnate remained unbeaten on 88-ball 66 hitting seven fours. Vidarbha left-arm spinner Aditya Sarvate (10-0-37-3), who shared the new ball, came out with the best figures. Faiz shines for Eleven Star Vidarbha skipper Faiz Fazal was the difference between the two sides as Eleven Star Cricket Club defeated Reshimbagh Gymkhana by five wickets at Kalamna ground.
Thanks to some rearguard action by tailenders number ten Aditya Khilote (44) and number eight Nachiket Bhute (36), Reshimbagh could reach 200 in 46.5 overs. Number six Sandesh Drugwar contributed 37 after the team was 33-5 at one stage. Eleven Star’s PramodWagh (3- 25) and Dhiraj Manwani (3-31) did the damage up front. Faiz’s (79; 97b, 7x4, 3x6) knock was a lesson for all as the lefthanded opener was prepared to play a waiting game as scoring was not easy. Captain Shubham Dubey made 46 not out with the team reaching 202 in 47 overs losing five wickets. Offie Siddhesh Dandewar took two for 36