Xtra Time Web Desk: Team Jay Shah emerged the winners by one run in a thrilling contest against Team Sourav Ganguly in the annual festive cricket match at the Eden Gardens ahead of Saturday’s AGM.
It was a match between BCCI Secretary XI and President XI. After winning the toss Team Jay Shah scored 128/3 in their quota of 15 overs. Chasing 129 runs to win Team Sourav Ganguly fell short by one run after losing five wickets.
The festive match had its moments of nostalgia too. The languid arrogance of Md Azharuddin as he walked out to the centre to bat at a ground that had never returned him empty handed. Then there was the son of the soil Sourav Ganguly who walked out and looked like not having lost a single touch as he drove and cut on the off side and sent two balls out of the ground with his trademark step out to spinners.
Another person who deserves special mention here was Jay Shah, who bowled with guile and passion, picking up three wickets in his spells and missing out on one due to a faulty umpiring decision. He almost single handedly stopped President XI’s chase.
Earlier, batting first BCCI Treasurer Arun Dhumal and Jaydev Shah scored 36 and 40 respectively. Jay Shah remained not out on 10.
President’s XI began the run chase well with CAB President Avishek Dalmiya (13) and Vijay Patil (21) adding 50 runs for the first wicket. Two quick run outs put the brakes on the scoring as BCCI Secretary Jay Shah ran through the middle order claiming three wickets of which two came in one over.
Devajit Saikia and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly came together and it looked like there was another twist to the tale. But Saikia was cleaned up by Shah on 15 and Ganguly had to retire after 35 with still 14 runs needed from two overs.
Sanjoy Vermar (8 not out) and Riyaz Razak (5 not out) could manage only 13, eventually losing the game by one run.
Here are some pics from the match:
With Inputs from CAB Media