A big weekend for our 3 One Day teams as they all play in Grand Final T20 games. Fourth Grade lose a close one and Sixth Grade get smashed.
Let’s start with our T20 Premiers ODC. Playing at home vs Perth Tamil we won the toss and batted first. After losing a quick wicket on 1/8, Jijinlal KG and Sujit Pankajakshan went on the attack with a partnership of 91 off 70 balls before Sujit was stumped for 33 off 31 balls to leave us in a strong position at 2/99. Another quick wicket fell but did not deter Jijinlal who kept on attacking. He finally fell on 4/121 in the 16th over after making a match winning 68 off 51 balls with 6 fours and 3 sixes. Vipin Varghese fell next for 10 off 9 balls with the score now 5/132 and 3 overs left. Praveen Venugopal 21 off 13 balls and Captain, Nithin Radhakrishna 16 off 9 added 33 in 18 balls to finish on a high, with a score of 5/166.
Our bowlers got the start they wanted with Jouhar Khan 2/8 and Vysakh Menon 2/22 taking a wicket each to have Perth Tamil in trouble at 2/6. Another wicket to Vysakh and Riju Mathew 1/29 chiming in, saw them struggling now at 4/18 and game over. Praveen Venugopal 1/7 got rid of the opener leaving them at 5/36 and then Santhosh Sunny 1/14 striking with another catch to our captain keeper, the score now 6/61 with 5 overs left. Jouhar Khan came back on to take another wicket at 7/89, the Perth Tamils hitting out in the last 2 overs finishing on 7/118 and a big win to the ODC Tigers!! Well done boys for the first flag of the season.
ODE were also at home in their Grand Final T20 vs Armadale, won the toss and batted first. Things did not go to plan as Armadale cut through our batting order to dismiss us for just 79 in 16.2 overs with Safil Sharif top scoring with 23. Our bowlers were going to have to strike early and often to produce a victory but that was not to be as Armadale reached the target in 13.5 overs at 4/83. Syed Ali picking up 2/4 and a wicket each to Rahul Nair 1/13 and Safil Sharif 1/7. Let’s pick up the major flag at the end of the season boys!
ODH were playing Phoenix away in their T20 Grand Final, lost the toss and bowled first. Phoenix got away to a fast start adding 58 for the first wicket in the 9th over but our bowlers were able to contain the fast scoring keeping Phoenix to 6/121 off their 20 overs. Irosh Ranathunga 2/21 and a wicket each to Nuwan, Dilshan, Lakmal and Vihanga. We needed a solid start but wickets fell early as Phoenix reduced our batting to 4/18 and it was going to be a struggle. Another wicket at 5/31 but a glimmer of hope came with Heshan Kothalawala smashing 27 off 24 balls, but his dismissal was costly and we ended up all out for 96 in the 19th over and 25 runs shy of a victory. Better luck in the One Day Grand Final in March fellas.
4th Grade were away to Cockburn won the toss and batted first. Our openers Haroon 26 and Shamez 28 added 43 for the first wicket but 2 quick wickets put a dent in the scoring. Farooq made 22 and Sunil Dogra a quick fire 28 off 18 balls and 3 sixes, we ended on 152 off 36 overs and only 10 men. Cockburn lost a quick one to a run out but then added 50 to be 2/52 when Harsh Jansali struck. At 3/80 Cockburn looked in control but another run out and then 2 wickets to Vijay Kumar saw them reduced to 6/84 and then Guri struck again to see them 7/97 and we were in the box seat. But our team was now only 9 players in the field and Cockburn still had 8 overs to make the runs, which they did, passing our total in the 39th over. A great effort by our boys, never giving up.
6th Grade were away to Phoenix won the toss and bowled first. With only 10 men in the field, that was reduced to 9 when Russell injured his hammy and Phoenix were able to capitalize on the open spaces and ended on 6/202, Jared Delamere 3/33 and a wicket each to Steve Hall 1/33 and Jackson Curthoys 1/30. The chase never really got going with some cameo knocks from Connor 19, Jared 14, Della 35 and Asim 20 we were all out with only 9 batsmen for 98 in 21.5 overs. We must win the next few games to be a chance for finals.
Cannington Tigers Cricket Club 