Solid batting performances from middle order batsmen Omkar Ghule 80 runs (70 balls, 8x4s, 3x6s) and Maxwell Swaminathan 70 runs (62 balls, 6x4s) and the superb bowling spell from Rakesh Naik 5 for 39 runs were the highlights of DTDC (Desk to Desk Couriers) SC 34-run victory against Reliance Group SC in the ‘C’ Division final of the 1st MCA Corporate Trophy Cricket Tournament played at the Mumbai Police Gymkhana ground, Marine Drive.
The DTDC SC players, winner of ‘C’ Division title
Bolstered by the batting efforts of Ghule and Swaminathan, DTDC’s innings closed at 220 all out in 38.1 overs and in reply Reliance Group’s innings fell short of the winning target, as they were dismissed for 186 runs in 38.1 overs.
Sent in to bat first, DTDC lost half the batsmen with just 66 runs on the board from 14.3 overs. Thereafter, No.6 bat Ghule and No.7 batter Swaminathan with positive batting repaired the early damage and steadied the innings with a solid 96-run partnership for the sixth wicket in 14.5 overs and helped the team reach a fighting total. Reliance Group’s left-arm spinners Mayur Deolekar 4 for 42 and Aakash Ayyar 2 for 40, and medium pacer Meghan Pednekar 2 for 41 shared the wickets.
Reliance Group SC batted confidently and tried to stay in the hunt of overhauling the DTDC total, but left-arm spinner Rakesh Naik 5 for 39 runs spun a web around the batters and picked up quick wickets at regular intervals. Medium pacer Sunil Chavariya 2 for 6 runs and off-spinner Swaminathan 2 for 43 played the supporting roles, which ensured DTDC emerge victorious.
Brief scores: DTDC SC 220 all out, 38.1 overs (Omkar Ghule 80 (70 balls, 8x4s, 3x6s), Maxwell Swaminathan 70 (62 balls, 6x4s); Mayur Deolekar 4/42, Akash Ayyar 2/40, Meghan Pednekar 2/41) beat Reliance Group SC 186 all out, 38.2 overs (Akash Ayyar 33 (47 balls, 3x4s, 1x6s), Omkar Jadhav 28* (30 balls, 3x4s), Prathmesh Pawar 25 (14 balls, 2x4s, 2x6s); Rakesh Naik 5/39, Sunil Chavariya 2/6, Maxwell Swaminathan 2/43). Result: DTDC won by 34 runs.