INDIANAPOLIS: Spartans XI and Titans XI, both of Columbus Indiana Cricket Club, advanced to the Midwest Cricket Tournament Division-I 35 Overs Tournament being played in Ohio. CICC Titans beat BCC Scarlets by 74 and CICC Spartans defeated CUCC by 16 runs in the quarter-final matches.
Cleveland United won the toss and invited CICC Spartans to bat first at the Ohio State University Cricket Ground. Spartans owed their well-merited triumph to Chirag Ambaliya who put up a sterling all-round performance. For his outstanding display with the bat and the ball he was adjudged the Player of the Match.
His knock of 37 was studded with four sixes and captured three wickets for 33 runs as CICC Spartans posted 171 in allotted 35 overs. Struggling at 25 for 3, Chirag and opener Guha Raman (39, 2x4s, 2x6s) stitched a 65 runs partnership for the fourth wicket. This pair took the total to 90 for 4 before Chirag departed. Guha Raman also returned to the pavilion with the addition of two runs to Spartans total.
Joydeep Chakrabarti made a valuable contribution of 32 which included two sixes. Akshay Kolte and Saikiran Dendukuri scored 16 runs each. For Cleveland United Kuljit Sran (4 for 37) and Rohit Verma (2 for 24) were the most successful bowlers.
In reply Cleveland United could muster only 155 in 34.1 overs. They suffered three early jolts as they were precariously placed at 18 for 3. Lokesh Ningegowda top-scored with 44, including two fours. Vasista Makki (18), Chandrasekhar Reddy (14), Madhav Sunkunny (18) and, Navdeep Dhaliwal (11) were their other main scorers.
Monil Goklani (3 for 24) and Chirag Ambaliya (3 for 33) restricted Cleveland United total with their tight bowling.
Brief scores: Columbus Indiana Cricket Club - Spartans 171 in 35 overs (Guha Raman 39, 2x4s, 2x6s, Chirag Ambaliya 37, 4x6s, Joydeep Chakrabarti 32, 2x6s, Akshay Kolte 16, Saikiran Dendukuri 16, Kuljit Sran 4 for 37, Rohit Verma 2 for 24, Navdeep Dhaliwal 1 for 15).
Cleveland United: 155 in 34.1 overs (Lokesh Ningegowda 44, 2x4s, Vasista Makki 18, Chandrasekhar Reddy 14, Madhav Sunkunny 18, Navdeep Dhaliwal 11, Prashant Ahlawat 5, Kuljit Sran not out 12, Monil Goklani 3 for 24, Chirag Ambaliya 3 for 33, Joydeep Chakrabarti 1 for 26, Samuel Kuchipudi 1 for 32, Aalok Trivedi 1 for 29).
Brief scores:
CICC-Titans: 161 in 34.3 overs (Ram Velamakanni 29, 2x6s, Vishal Talwar 24, 3x4s, Abhnav Pandey 14, Abishek Muralidharan 29, 3x6s, Rahul Bhardwaj 12, Avinaschander Manivannam 21, Deval Trivedi 2 for 18, Manohar Potluri 2 for 26, Hiren Patel 2 for 24, Devan Patel 2 for 35).
Buckeye Cricket Club Scarlet: 87 all out in 19.2 overs (Kiriti Vandsadia 26, 2x4s, 2x6s, Nikunj Patel 8, Nakul Patel 14, Ravi Patel 10, Hiren Patel 4, Karthik Thinnanur 4 for 18, Abhijeet Nande 3 for 22, Avinaschander Manivannan 1 for 11, Hareen Illa 1 for 11, Ashutosh Singh 1 for 11).
