Jeremy Bootsy the Man of the Match the previous week who broke the hearts and minds of Patong with an unbeaten 61* lasted just 4 balls out in the middle on this day getting caught off the gloves by keeper Andrew McMillan for 0(4). It was the opening over from the talented all-rounder Ravi Naik who picked up the wicket as Bootsy took the pressure off umpire Seemant Raju as he quickly walked back to the clubhouse with a frustrated look etched on his face.

Fellow Misfit star from last week, Stuart Hamilton didn’t last much longer as he fell to a similar fate caught behind this time from the bowling of the other opener, the ever threatening Arun Virdikar, a sharp chance well gloved by McMillan. Hamilton back in the clubhouse with 4(8) to his name and the Misfits off to a shock start at 10/2 in the 4th Over.

Solid opener Manish Sadarangani and #4 Sameer Kahn were left to steady the ship but it was relatively slow progress and when S Kahn 11(19) fell in the 13th Over, the Panthers must have felt they were on top with the Misfits at 48/3.

On the last ball before the 15 Over drinks break, the aggressive Rishi Sadarangani 12(12) tried to smash first change bowler Prashant Shetgaonkar and was clean bowled, the Panthers with a spring in their step as they headed for a drink as the Misfits slipped further to 68/4 after 15 Overs.

After the break, #6 and Captain Rehman batted with purpose scoring at an excellent rate which allowed Manish to play the anchor role and bat himself into form.

By the time Rehman 62(54) fell bowled by Naik, it was the 33rd Over and the pair had constructed a game changing 130-run partnership and had taken the score to 198/5. Joined by Pir Sami, Manish continued to increase his strike rate and find the boundary. After the 35 Overs was completed, Opener Manish was left carrying his bat 82*(106) with 9 fours while Sami finished with 8*(7). The Misfits composed recovery creating an imposing total of 230/5 after 35 Overs and the Panthers left to contemplate a few key dropped catches in the field.

The Panthers came out after the lunch break with the plan of getting off to a good start and getting ahead of the required run rate of 6.6 runs per over as they sent in the usually mid-lower order hitter Sarvesh Kandolkar at #2. Unfortunately Kandolkar 0(2) didn’t last long as he swiped across the line of a well directed Sami delivery in the first over sending the stumps tumbling, the Panthers 2/1 early.

All rounder Vijay Salikenini who has shown some significant improvement during the tournament came out at #3 and with the guidance of the very experienced McMillan the pair got the run rate flying early with the assistance of some wayward Misfit bowling.

The 6th Over was an exceptionally long over with numerous wides bowled by the talented but rusty Sohail Ahmad however with just one legal delivery remaining, Salikenini 17(15) badly mistimed a pull-shot and was caught and bowled much to his frustration. The Panthers off to quick start however at 48/2 in the 6th Over.

As McMillan continued to bat well, Geetesh Shirodkar provided good support at the other end before falling to the bowling of Rehman as he was caught behind by Bootsy for 13(16), the scoring rate still healthy however with the Panthers at 85/3 in the 11th Over.

#5 Shetgaonkar would have hoped to make a bigger contribution but was adjudged LBW by umpire Michael Flowers from the bowling of S Kahn, the Panthers slumping to 88/4 in the 12th Over.

Mayur Deuskar came in and provided excellent assistance for a tiring yet resilient McMillan as the two put together a 40-run partnership in 6.1 Overs before newcomer Waseem Mir had Deuskar caught behind by Bootsy for 22(24). The Panthers at 128/5 in the 18th Over.

Naik came to the crease looking to perhaps help guide the Panthers to victory with McMillan who had by now reached his half-century at a good rate. Naik hammered a ball from Rehman down the ground but unfortunately it went straight at Anthony DuPont who with his whole body behind it managed to reel it in for a significant breakthrough sending Naik back to the sheds for just 3(11), the Panthers slipping further to 141/6.

Virdikar 4(13) batting at #8 provided Ali Kahn with his first wicket of the tournament, another catch for Bootsy behind the stumps, the Panthers 165/7 in the 25th Over.

Running out of partners and tired from trying to run twos, McMillan needed to start hitting out as Ab Kalakaar was providing resistance but was unable to score freely. McMillan went down the ground towards A Kahn at long-off who slipped and went down on his knees before taking what was for all intents and purposes the match winning catch as McMillan 82(69) left the field with the Panthers at 181/8.

With only 10 players in the side, that left Kalakaar and #10, Premkumar Salikenini to score 50 runs from the final 7 overs. They never looked like being able to complete the task but fought valiantly coming up 17 runs short. Kalakaar 16*(35) and Salikenini 20*(22) finishing unbeaten.

The victory for the Misfits has kept them in with an outside chance of taking the title if they can win their final match by a big margin against KCC on the 31st of March.

Written by Michael Flowers
Photo Courtesy of Michael Way

Scorecard link;
https://drive.google.com/open?id=14Rkzf6fPtjdrCMjt8FiJ6wUgrk3k6bSb