Cricket: SCA National Championship – Division one and two |21 October 2023

Grankaz Kings and GSP 7S A secure wins

Grankaz Kings and GSP 7S A secured a win apiece in their last leagues for the Seychelles Cricket Association National Championship.

Grankaz defeated Lakstars, while GSP 7S A were victorious over PRG Kings.

In a thrilling morning match that kept the spectators on the edge of their seats, Grankaz Kings emerged triumphant against Lakstars , securing a resounding 53-run victory.

Winning the toss, Lakstars invited Grankaz Kings to bat first, a decision that eventually proved to be challenging for the fielding side.

Grankaz Kings got off to a brilliant start with a scintillating 71-run partnership for the first wicket. The Grankaz openers showcased explosive batting, peppering shots all over the ground. This momentum was maintained with a few more modest partnerships, leading Grankaz Kings to post a challenging total of 167 for 7 wickets in their allotted 20 overs.

Tim Hornipitch played a pivotal role, scoring a brilliant half-century in just 42 balls, embellished with 5 fours. Md. MazramulIsalam also contributed significantly with a vital 45 runs in 28 balls, including 7 fours and 1 six.

Lakstars, in pursuit of the challenging target, faced an early setback, losing their first and second wickets with only 2 and 5 runs on the board. The top and middle order of Lakstars struggled against Grankaz's bowling attack, losing wickets in quick succession. Despite a valiant effort to build partnerships, including a commendable 49-run stand for the 7th wicket, Lakstars could only manage to score 114 runs in their 20 overs.

Suranga Fernando showcased a fighting spirit, remaining unbeaten with 49 runs in 51 balls, while Sarath Fernando contributed an unbeaten 22 runs in 20 balls.

In the bowling department, Grankaz Kings' Rajeev Rajendran and Rohit Bhatt shone brightly. Rajeev Rajendran displayed an excellent performance, picking up 2 crucial wickets for 12 runs in his 3 overs, while Rohit Bhatt also contributed with 2 wickets for 25 runs in his 3 overs.

Their efforts significantly restricted Lakstars, preventing them from reaching the challenging target set by Grankaz Kings.

The standout player of the match was Md MazramulIsalam, who not only displayed an exceptional performance with the bat but also made valuable contributions with the ball. His all-round performance earned him the prestigious Player of the Match title.

In the other T20 league match played, GSP 7S A secured a commanding 26-run win against PRG Kings.

The match, held at the Perseverance Grounds, was witness to remarkable performances from both teams, with GSP 7S A emerging as the ultimate victors.

After winning the toss, GSP 7S A opted to bat first but faced an early setback, losing their first wicket with just 9 runs on the board. Despite losing a few quick wickets in the middle overs, they managed to establish crucial partnerships for the 4th and 7th wickets, ultimately setting a challenging target of 151 runs.

PrasanthGanpathy played a brilliant innings, scoring 35 runs off 22 balls, while Raj Kumar contributed a vital 33 runs off 29 balls, emerging as the standout batters for GSP 7S A.

PRG Kings fought back valiantly in the bowling department, with P Vijay, Sanjo Simaon, and Kalees Selva each picking up 2 wickets to curtail the opposition's scoring. Despite their efforts, GSP 7S A posted a competitive total, putting the pressure on PRG Kings during their chase.

In pursuit of the target, PRG Kings faced early setbacks, losing their first and second wickets at 8 and 16 runs respectively. Although they managed to build a promising 44-run partnership for the 3rd wicket, PRG Kings faced further challenges in the middle overs, losing wickets in quick succession. However, a resilient 47-run partnership for the 7th wicket gave them hope. Ultimately, their innings concluded at 124 runs after 20 overs.

GSP 7S A's bowlers, led by the brilliant performance of Raj Kumar and Mugilan Rajan, played a pivotal role in restricting PRG Kings' chase. Raj Kumar picked up 2 crucial wickets for 17 runs in his 4 overs, while Mugilan Rajan showcased excellent bowling, taking 2 wickets for 10 runs in his 2 overs.

Raj Kumar's outstanding all-round performance with both bat and ball earned him the well-deserved Player of the Match title.

In a division two clash at Roche Caïman Grounds, Deevas Kings emerged as victorious, securing a resounding victory by 9 wickets over Spartan Warriors A in a thrilling encounter.

Opting to field first after winning the toss, Deevas Kings swiftly put Spartan Warriors A on the back foot. Spartan Warriors suffered an early setback, losing their opening two wickets at just 1 and 9 runs, respectively. Although they managed a modest partnership of 29 runs for the 3rd wicket, they struggled to maintain momentum, losing crucial wickets in quick succession. At the end of their innings, Spartan Warriors could only muster 79 runs, losing all 10 wickets at 17.2 overs.

Mohan Spartan, with 21 runs off 26 balls, and Praveen Kumar, contributing 14 runs off 20 balls, emerged as the top scorers for Spartan Warriors.

Deevas Kings' bowlers, particularly Selva and Deepak Radhakrishnan, showcased exceptional skills, each picking up 3 wickets, effectively restricting Spartan Warriors to a low total.

In response, Deevas Kings faced an early hiccup, losing their first wicket at the score of 10 in 2.3 overs.

However, they were able to forge an outstanding unbeaten partnership of 70 runs for the second wicket and reach the target convincingly.

Prabhu played an unbeaten brilliant knock, scoring 41 runs, while MD Sajid contributed a vital 24 runs off 33 balls. Their exceptional batting display ensured Deevas Kings chased down the target of 90 in style, managing to achieve the victory in just 13.2 overs.

Mohan Spartan was the lone successful bowler for Spartan Warriors, picking up 1 wicket for 19 runs in his 4 overs.

 However, his efforts were not enough to stem the tide of Deevas Kings' formidable batting lineup.

Prabhu's exceptional performance with both bat and ball earned him the well-deserved Player of the Match title.

Samith Lakpriya