Brief
Scores
Flamin
Starz: 8 / 120
in 20 overs
Vivek 52 (37)
Deepan
23 (24)
Gagan
Sodhi 3/6 (4)
Ravi
Dixit 3/15 (4)
Opto: 2 / 124 in 13.4 overs
Sohail Rauf 68* (44)
Varun
Anand 23* (20)
Anjeev
1/20 (4)
Man of
the Match: Gagan
Sodhi (Opto)
Best
Performer Flamin Starz: Vivek
JOSH
TALKS Impact Performer: Sohail
Rauf
Opto
Seamers Gagan and Ravi Star in Thumping Win
After finishing finalists in the LiveSport Festival League,
Flamin Starz were all set to get off the mark in the Delhi Champions League
with a blockbuster encounter against a strong Opto side. In reality, though,
the game did not turn out to be as competitive as anticipated, and credit for
that goes to Opto’s terrible twosome, quicks Ravi Dixit and Gagan Sodi,
left-arm and right-arm respectively. Bowling with spicy pace and impeccable
control, they left a strong Flamin Starz top order floundering at 19 / 4 after
7 overs of dead precision.
Left-Right
Seam Duo Bag 3 Wickets Apiece, Vivek Fights Back
After Ravi dismissed Anjeev off a feather-edge to the wicket
keeper in the 4th, Gagan took out Naveen and Vivek Bedi off
consecutive deliveries in the next over, before removing Kaushik in the 7th
over. One-down batsman Vivek, who trains in Yuvraj Singh’s academy, was the
only batter who took the fight to the opposition, cashing in on the spinners
and scoring an impressive fifty against the run of play.
A punchy batsmen with attractive strokes and quick feet, who
typically plays with a straight bat, he launched his onslaught with a boundary
off leg-spinner Shankar in the 9th over, before picking left-arm
spinner Ajit for consecutive fours in the next, the first an exquisite cover
drive, then a cut. Growing in confidence with every over, he slammed successive
sixes off off-spinner Kane Joshi in the 13th. He reached his fifty
with a six off Ravi Dixit in the 19th, before being clean bowled
next ball.
Deepan and Rishab (23 and 20 not out) provided some support from
the other end, saving Flamin Starz the blushes and lifting the side to a reasonably
respectable 120 / 8. Deepan picked up a couple of sixes, before Rishab took 16
off the last over bowled by Kanwar, including a six and a four.
Sohail
Rauf Stars in Opto Chase
The total was never going to be enough, however, and Opto
completed the chase in under 14 overs, batting without pressure. Ishneet got
them going with 3 boundaries in the 2nd over off seamer Gurdeep,
before both openers were sent back within the Powerplay overs. Kanwar was clean
bowled by Anjeev in the 3rd, and Vivek Bedi completed an excellent
catch running back from mid on to send Ishneet back in the dugout in the 6th
over.
Those turned out to be the only two moments of cheer for Flamin
Starz in the innings, as Sohail Rauf, an experienced batsman who combines brisk
footwork with timing and all-round stroke play, shut them out with a classy and
aggressive 68 from 44 balls. His knock consisted of 11 fours and 2 sixes,
including three successive boundaries off Rishab in the 11th over.
Varun Anand ended with a safe 23 not out, and Opto announced themselves as
favorites for the title with this convincing win.
Gagan Sodhi walked away with the Man of the Match award for his
top class opening spell of 4 – 1 – 6 – 3. For Flamin Starz, lone rider Vivek
was Man of the Match for his fifty against the run of play. Opto is now almost
through to the quarter-finals, while Flamin Starz have all to play for in their
next game.
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