The JCA champions cup featuring the top 4 teams of the league kicked off this weekend with two very close games. Yadavas Senayan CC beat WISCI Wanderers to move directly into the Champions Cup finals, while Challengers CC overcame Metro Indians to move into the next round where they play WISCI Wanderers to fight for a slot in the finals.
Though low scoring, the WISCI versus Yadavas Senayan game lived up to its high billing. Senayan opted to bat first after winning the toss. Tight bowling by Dave Holme & Govind Sodani led to 3 early wickets forcing Yadavas Senayan CC to buckle down and consolidate. WISCI couldn’t make further inroads in the middle overs as Viraj Bhammar & Muhaddis put on a solid, if slow, partnership. Senayan CC then capitalized in the last 11 overs getting 80 runs as Amar Kapadia gave them the impetus while Muhaddis showed tremendous maturity at the other end. The final score of 167 looked a par score, with both teams having a shot.
Despite a few wides, Anjar Tadarus bowled enough good balls as his skidders rattled the WISCI batting and had them struggling at 17 for 4. Mark Harvey & Muhammad Zahir then put on a good 48 run partnership to put WISCI back in the game. The spinners in the form of Lucky Angga & Amar Kapadia struck to put their team back in contention with WISCI at 89 for 7 but a solid rear-guard partnership by the experienced William Noronha & Suhail Modak led to WISCI coming right back into the game until William fell to a contentious decision. Suhail kept fighting for WISCI and with them needing 13 to win, the last man Deepak was run-out giving Senayan CC a close win.
Thanks to Faheem Muhammad & Suresh Subramanian for umpiring the game
