News Byte

GCA News Bytes Goa Lions kept roaring consistently in the Goa Corporate League(GCL) and booked a semifinals berth after quelling the challenge of Air India by twelve runs in the last league match at the GCA grounds, Porvorim on Thursday. The cricketing Lions from Goa now face ONGC in the first semifinal at 2pm while Reliance will play IOC in the second semifinal of the evening, today. A fine knock of 72 runs laced with six fours and two sixes by Joy Bista and his 103-run partnership for the third wicket with Washim Jaffar (44,4x4,2x6) enabled Indian Oil (IOC) to score a narrow eight runs win over host's team Golden Tiger in the closely-fought Corporate League Cricket Tournament match played at Goa Cricket Academy ground today. IOC, after winning the toss, elected to bat first and piled up 162 runs, losing six wickets in the allotted 20 overs on the strength of Joy Bista (72), who was adjudged the Man of the Match and Washim Jaffer's valuable 44 runs. Saurab Bandekar claimed three wickets for Golden Tigers conceding 27 runs. Golden Tigers, chasing a target of 163 runs for outright win, started well adding 54 runs for the first wicket. Later, they failed to achieve the winning target and at the end of the 20th over managed to score only 154 runs giving away seven wickets in quick succession. Amogh Desai (52,4x4,2x6), Rahul Keni (25) and Sagaun Kamat were the main contributors for Tigers. Rajesh Pawar bagged two wickets giving away 19 runs. BRIEF SCORES: IOC: 162 for 6 (Joy Bista 72, Wasim Jaffer 44, Rohan Raje 13, Deepak Hooda 12; Saurab Bandekar 3 for 27, Amit Yadav 2 for 41, Gaurish Gawas 1 for 32). Golden Tigers: 154 for 7 (Amog Desai 52, Rahul Keni 25, Sagun Kamat 23, Saurab Bandekar 18, Achit Shigwan 12, Shadab Jakati 10; Rajesh Pawar 2 for 19, Khizor Dafedar 1 for 20, Balwinder Singh Sanhu 1 for 35, Rohan Raje 1 for 37, Deepak Hooda 1 for 32). In the second match of the evening — which was cheered by an enthusiatic crowd- Swapnil Asnodkar struck a swashbuckling 55 to steer Goa's total to 138 in the stipulated 20 overs. Swapnil swayed the ball to the boundaries on six occasions and cleared the ropes twice. The lads from Mumbai tried to make a contest of the match ut with most players unable to strike combative partnerships, the game appeared to slip away from them. Sher Bahadur Yadav and Rituraj singh were the pick of the Goan bowlers. Threy not only scalped three wickets apiece but were intrumental in slowing the flow of runs from the boys from Air India.