DCL Cup Quarter Final: Opto vs Stoners

Brief Scores

Stoners:                             110 all out in 16.1 overs

                                                            Varun Mishra 28 (19)

                                                            Rakesh 23 (11)

                                                            Ajit Ranjan 4 / 24 (4)

                                                            Gagan Sodhi 2 / 7 (3)

                                                                                                                                               

Opto:                                  1 / 111 in 11.1 overs

                                                            Sohail Rauf 54* (38)

                                                            Ishneet 38* (22)

                                                                                                                                   

Man of the Match:                        Ajit Ranjan (Opto)

Best Performer Stoners:                 Varun Mishra

Complete Scorecard:                 http://bit.ly/1bwvxDS  

Opto Bowlers Run Through Opposition Yet Again

Gagan (center) is DCL's Top Wicket-taker

Gagan and Ravi keep slamming games shut for Opto with their combination of height, pace and accuracy. Within the first 6 – 8 overs, they pick up a handful of wickets without conceding anything. The pressure after that is overwhelming. Stoners made an earnest attempt to resist that pattern, but the script ultimately remained the same.

Shreyans, Akshar and Sanit were all dismissed up front by the duo to leave Stoners at 23 / 3 after 6 overs. With the explosive capabilities of Neil, Mustafa and Ayush still in their arsenal, Stoners still had hope.  All three, however, were snapped up by the left-arm spin of Ajit Ranjan. Combining accuracy with variations in flight, the tweaker first accounted for Neil in his first over – the 7^th of the match. The batsman jumped out of his crease recklessly off the spinner’s first ball to him and lifted an off drive straight to Ishneet at long off.

Mustafa was the spinner’s next victim. He miscued an attempted drive and the ball caught his bat’s outside edge.

Ajit (right) was the Man of the Match

Prashant ran back from cover and pocketed an excellent catch. Ayush followed next, a thin edge taken at slip, before Bhaskar was clean bowled to become Ajit’s fourth victim. Varun, however, fought gamely, smacking two sixes off the spinners, lifting his side to 110 from 68 / 8. His contribution of 28 earned him the Best Performer award from his side.

 The chase of 111 was hardly a challenge, and Sohail Rauf and Ishneet guided the innings with control and composure. Ishneet complemented Sohail’s elegance with power, and both batsmen freely expressed their penchant for hitting in the straight arc. While Sohail compiled an attractive 54 not out, Ishneet helped himself to 38, completing the win in the 12^th over with a six off Mustafa. The double nelson scoreboard would be a numerologist’s delight (111 / 1 from 11.1 overs),

but we will have to wait and watch if that bodes any change of luck for Opto’s subsequent opponents.

Ajit pocketed the Man of the Match award for his contribution of 4 – 0 – 24 – 4 that broke the back of Stoner’s middle-order.