Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 27: Splendid batting display by the youngsters on the last day of the 3-day match helped Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association’s ‘A’ team to register a narrow win by 2 wickets over strong Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) team in the ongoing MCA’s Bhausaheb Nimbalkar Cricket Tournament, being held at Deccan Gymkhana Stadium in Pune.
After gaining a lead of 77 runs over JKCA, MCA declared their second innings at 178/6 to set a target of 256 runs for JKCA. First innings’ top performers, Shubam Ranjane and Ganesh Kukade again dazzled with the bat to score 59 and 52 runs respectively, while Naushad Sheikh contributed valuable 33 runs to the total. For JKCA, speedster Asif Rasool and wrist spinner Manik Gupta scalped 2 wickets each, while left-arm spinner Wasim Raza claimed one. Asif conceded 37 runs in his 14 overs, while Manik gave away 46 runs in his 12 overs. Raza bowled 4 overs without conceding any run.
In reply, JKCA rode on a superb batting display by talented Bandeep Singh and promising Owais Shah to chase the target in 45.3 overs by losing 8 wickets, thus won the match by 2 wickets.
Earlier, openers Adil Reshi and Ahmed Bandey gave a solid start by chipping in with 22 and 18 runs respectively, which was followed by over 100-run partnership between Bandeep and Owais, who both slammed magnificent half-centuries in the process. Bandeep scored cracking 66 runs, while Shah contributed valuable 50 runs. The other notable scorers were ambidextrous cricketer Manik Gupta and skipper Ramdayal Punia, who made 33 and 25 runs respectively. Paras Sharma, Asif Rasool also chipped in with match winning 15 and 12 runs respectively. For MCA, Ganesh Kukade was the pick of the bowlers, who took 4 wickets, while Amol Chinte bagged 2 wickets. Nikit Dhumal who took 7 wickets in the first innings was sent to a leather-hunt and in his 8 overs, he conceded 71 runs, without taking any wicket.
The JKCA team is being accompanied by former Ranji Trophy skipper Abdul Qayoom as coach, while Nirmal Singh and Ajaz Chillu are the manager and physio respectively.
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