The week ended 22/4/2012 saw the CCA pro 40 league 2012 reach its midway point. The breakaway pack at the top half of the table shows Jaffery Sports Club A, Mombasa Sports Club, Coast Gymkhana A and Simba Union vying for the covetous top position of the league standings. But this may just be a mirage as the top half has played more games than some of the teams in the mid- or lower half of the table. Some of the teams will be seen in their true light once the numbers of matches are at par and the points then revealing the true standings of the various teams in this year’s tournament.
However, not taking away any credit from the excitement and effect of the results of the various
matches played this past weekend, the audience at the matches were thoroughly entertained with some jaw dropping performances and unexpected results.
Three matches were scheduled this past weekend and all three produced some fascinating cricket on show for the spectators. The first match of the day was probably the highlight of the set of matches played. The tussle of the titans as it was dubbed where MSC paid a rare visit to CG A. CG A won the toss and were almost immediately pegged back as their prolific opener Vandan Patel was routed early.
Manoj Patel profited from some slack fielding to gorge out 43 valuable runs. The top half of the CG middle order could not come to terms with the MSC attack and it was left to new comer Nirav Pandya who put some respectability to the score with a breezy 68 laden with more sixes than boundaries. CG A ending up with below-par 179 in their innings. Vinit Shikotra, the MSC off spinner profited with 5/41.
Below par it seemed but below par it wasn’t as MSC just couldn’t get going in their chase of the
modicum target set. Jignesh Hirani (47) and Vishal Shikotra (33) were the only ones from the starstudded MSC batting line up that lived up to expectation. MSC folding for 150 to realise a loss by 29 runs. Mohamed Bashir 4/45 and Nirav Pandya 4/52 pegged back the holders. CG A have now rendered the league wide open with this win. JSC A on the other hand hosted BSC, the latter not having a very good season so far. This was reflected by their decision at the toss to bat and immediately the decision proved fatal. The BSC batting line up found it difficult to create partnerships of any semblance as they folded for 126 runs. Hussein Mukarram (30) and Yusuf Vejlani (20) showed some resistance. JSC A needed to catch an early train as it panned out, Mohamed Fazal (82) and Shehryar Akram (42) completing the score in the opening stand in 14 over. JSC A winning by 10 wickets.
The last game saw Simba Union hosting Msa Heat on the BSC astro-turf, the adopted home ground of Simba Union. Simba winning the toss and electing to bat on the batsman friendly pitch. It didn’t turn out the way Simba anticipated as the prolific run scorer Khan Talha was the only one realising 78 runs.
This was aptly reflected by extras standing at 38 being the second highest score. Tim Jensz adding 3 wickets to his tally while all-rounders Jeremy Fernandez and Bruce Phillips bagging 2 wickets a piece.
However Simba did reach a score of some semblance realising 198 for Msa Heat to chase. Simba’s bowling and fielding was in contrast to their batting as 2 run outs early on pegged back the Msa Heat batting line-up massively. Talha Khan bagging 2/4 and Zuher Ladak 2/17 and the steady Harmeet Singh 1/8 in 5 over ensured Msa Heat did not breach the 100 mark as they folded for a paltry 70 all out in just over an hour of the chase getting underway.
The CG A win over the holders and progress of some of the other teams has blown the league wide open, which while adding challenge to the participating teams, will ensure a mouth watering remainder of the league for all cricket lovers at the Coast.
This weekend fixture
Game No : 30 – Jaffery Sports Club B v/s Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj @ JSC Ground
Game No : 31 – Mombasa Sports Club v/s Burhani Sports Club @ MSC Ground
Game No : 32 – Coast Gymkhana B v/s Coast Gymkhana A @ CG Ground
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