2nd T-20 Manipur Veteran Cricket Tournament : CYCLONE carve out 40 runs win over IWVCC
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 23 2014 : In a battle between the bat and the ball, it was the bat which carried the day, with CYCLONE handing out a humbling defeat over IWVCC by 40 runs.

Winning the toss, CYCLONE read the pitch well and opted to bat with its frontline batsmen contributing handsomely to notch up a competitive score of 163 runs off 20 overs for the loss of 6 wickets.

Riding on a brilliant knock of 70 runs off 51 balls from Thoithoi, CYCLONE managed the keep the score board ticking at a fast pace, leaving the bowlers of IWVCC a frustrated lot.

Thoithoi was ably assisted by Bobby who hit a blistering 40 runs off only 23 balls followed by Inaocha with 16 runs off 23 ball and Sunil with a breezy 13 runs off 15 balls.

With the pitch not offering any help, the frontline batsmen of CYCLONE found the gaps and scored on either side of the wicket with ease.

Going in for the big shots, Thoithoi milked 70 runs off only 51 balls with Bobby also opening up his bat and consistently sending the ball to the boundary to score a quick 40 runs off only 23 balls.

Roji of IWVCC led the charge and did well in picking up three wickets followed by Ibomcha who scalped two wickets and Basanta who chipped in with one valuable wicket.

The bowlers of IWVCC were however not able to keep the batsmen of CYCLONE under a light rein and the fast outfield only added to their woes as the big shots more than often touched the boundary easily, helping the CYCLONE batsmen from turning the twos to fours.

With the ball coming to the bat with ease, the CYCLONE players toyed around with the bowling of IWVCC to score at will and come up with a competitive total of 163 runs off 20 overs for the loss of 6 wickets.

Faced with a competitive score of 163 runs, the frontline batsmen of IWVCC did well to be in the run chase in the initial part of their innings.

Basanta led the run chase with a fine 64 balls off 58 balls.

However wickets kept falling at the other end with the notable contributions coming only from the bat of Ashok who made a quick 18 runs off only 15 balls and Bungobi 15 runs off 9 balls.

With the pitch crumbling, it offered assistance to the bowlers of CYCLONE.

Extracting bounce and swing from the crumbling pitch, the CYCLONE bowlers had little difficulty in sending the batsmen of IWVCC back to the pavilion at regular intervals.

Excellent fielding also helped the cause of CYCLONE as all the big hits were deftly intercepted by the quick footed fielders of CYCLONE.

So big hits, which could have been fours were invariably stopped near the boundary line and reduced to two runs or three at the most.

For CYCLONE, Robindro keeping a tight line and length and extracting the right bounce and swing from the pitch scalped three wickets.

He was ably assisted by Binoy who returned figures of 2 wickets and Abungcha who chipped in with one wicket.

Despite a fighting 64 runs off 58 balls from Bashanta, who also chipped in with one wicket, the IWVCC innings folded up for 123 runs for the loss of five wickets in the allotted 20 overs to hand the match to CYCLONE by 40 runs.

For his blistering score of 70 runs off 51 balls, Thoithoi of CYCLONE was adjudged the man of the match.

Tomorrow NAPSA will take on DSU.

The tournament is being organised by the Manipur Veteran Cricket Association at Langthabal Public Ground.

The Manipur Veteran Cricket Association is affiliated to the Board of Veteran Cricket in India.

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