Santacruz Crackers, thanks to fine bowling Amey Kothavle(4/22), scored a thrilling 10-run win over fancied Shivaji Park Superstars by 10 runs for their first win in the 8-team SAI-Mumbai Masters T-20 League, at the Police Gymkhana’s floodlit ground here last night.
Amey Kothavale
Replying to Santacruz Crackers’ score of 147 for five, Shivaji Park Superstars’ after they were 99 for six in 13.4 overs, found their lower order batsmen struggling against spinner Amey Kothavle’s tight spell that left them short by 10 runs in the end.
In the other tie, Juhu Heroes thrashed Mulund Blasters by nine wickets for their third win in a row. Their opener Pratik Patil showing remarkable consistency steered them to victory. Batting first, Mulund Blasters, but for Anuj Mathur’s sedate 53, ended with 133 for two in 18 overs as the tie was reduced by two overs for delayed start. In reply, Juhu Heroes maintained a steady run-rate to achieve their target. Pratik, with scores of 102, 96 not out and 67 not out in his three outings, won his third man-of-the-match award.
Brief scores: Mulund Blsters 133/20ff 18 overs (Anuj Mathur 53 (7×4, 2×6), Siddharth Naik 24,Vivek Prabhu 23) lost to Juhu Heroes 136/a off 16.2 overs (Pratik Patil n.o. 67, Tejas Solanki 33; Kunal Dedhia 2/21. By 9 wkts.
Santacruz Crackers 147/5 off 18 overs (Rohan Sadarjoshi 61 (8×4, 1×6), Meher Kamat 20; Dinesh Sawant 2/27) bt Shivaji Park Superstars 137/6 in 18 overs (Amar Padhye 39, Saurabh Joshi n.o. 24, Prashant Gawade n.o. 21; Amey Kothavle 4/22) by 10 runs.