Cricket: SCA National Championship Division Two Finals |17 November 2023

Appu BD Tigers of was awarded the player of the match title

Lakstars and BD Tigers Storm into the finals

•          Setting the stage for an exhilarating clash

In a thrilling showcase of skill and determination, Lakstars A and BD Tigers have secured their places in the finals of the Seychelles Cricket Association National Championship division two, promising fans an electrifying clash ahead.

In a riveting semifinal showdown at the Perseverance grounds on Sunday, Lakstars A showcased resilience and skill to secure their spot in the highly anticipated finals with a thrilling victory over Narayan XI.

Having won the toss and batting first, Lakstars A faced early adversity against the Narayan XI bowling attack, losing their three top order batsman at 9 runs on the board at the end of 2.5 overs.

Undeterred, they managed to construct a vital partnership of 35 runs for the 4th wicket, injecting some much-needed stability into the innings.

However, Lakstars lost a few more wickets in quick succession after the fourth.

Showing resilience, Lakstars managed to post a total of 96 runs for 8 wickets at the end of their 20 overs. Lithira Hathurusinghe notched 24 runs off 44 balls, while Sanjeewa Aurnajith, with an unbeaten 17 runs off 22 balls, provided crucial support before retiring hurt in the 13th over.

The brilliance of Narayan XI's bowling attack was evident as GovindKerai and Dipesh Nakrani bowled superbly, picking up 3 wickets each in their respective four-over spells.

In pursuit of the target of 97 runs, Narayan XI displayed a better start than Lakstars but faced setbacks, losing two wickets with the score at 19 in 4.2 overs.

A modest partnership of 29 for the third wicket raised hopes, but Lakstars’ bowlers struck again, claiming two quick wickets at 48 and 52.

Narayan XI, however, fought back with a 25-run partnership for the 6th wicket, bringing them closer to the target.

The game took a thrilling turn in the depth overs when Lakstars bowlers applied more pressure, ultimately leading to quick wickets at the tail.

In a dramatic conclusion, Lakstars managed to bowl out Narayan XI for 93 runs with two overs to spare.

ShanmugamTharmenthiran emerged as the star bowler for Lakstars, delivering an exceptional spell and picking up 4 wickets for just 8 runs, earning him the title of the main destroyer of Narayan's innings.

Skipper Rajtiha Dongolla showcased skillful bowling, securing 3 wickets for 30 runs in his four overs, contributing significantly to restrict Narayan to 93 runs.

Sohil Vekariya (29 off 22) and Dipesh Nakrani (22 off 25) were the top scorers for Narayan XI.

The standout performance came from Lakstars' Skipper Rajitha Dodangolla, rightfully awarded the Player of the Match title for his brilliant all-around performance with both the ball and the bat.

BD Tigers' thrilling victory over Seychelles Rockers

In a heart-stopping semifinal clash that lived up to its anticipation, BD Tigers emerged victorious with a thrilling 5-run win over Seychelles Rockers on Sunday.

This spectacular triumph not only secured their place in the finals but also set the stage for an electrifying showdown.

Opting to bat after winning the toss, BD Tigers faced an early setback, losing their first wicket at 8 runs in the first over.

However, they constructed a brilliant 85-run partnership for the second wicket, putting them in a commanding position. Another crucial partnership of 34 runs for the 3rd wicket strengthened their position despite the loss of a few quick wickets, finishing with a commendable total of 147 runs at the end of their 20 overs.

The standout performers with the bat for BD Tigers were Appu, who executed a brilliant innings of 69 runs off 55 balls, featuring 10 fours, and Ashik, who contributed a vital 32 runs off 35 balls.

In response, Seychelles Rockers faced a challenging pursuit of the target of 148 runs.

Despite a modest start with a 34-run partnership for the first wicket, they lost three quick wickets within 15 runs, finding themselves in a precarious situation.

However, the match took a thrilling turn as the Rockers fought back with modest partnerships in the middle order for the 5th, 6th, and 7th wickets.

Yet, BD Tigers' bowlers applied more pressure in the depth overs, picking up wickets in quick successions. In a nail-biting finish, BD tigers managed to Bowl out Rockers for 142 runs at 18.3 overs.

Habib emerged as the bowling hero for BD Tigers, picking up 3 wickets for just 18 runs in his 4 overs.

 Ashik contributed with 2 wickets for 23 runs in his 3-over spell, and Italy also chipped in with 2 wickets for 30 runs in his 3 overs.

For Seychelles Rockers, Devibalan Vairavanathan displayed a fighting spirit with an innings of 33 runs off 19 balls, including 5 fours, while Ragul Pillay contributed 28 runs off 27 balls with 2 fours.

The outstanding performance from Appu, both with the bat and the ball, earned him the well-deserved title of Player of the Match.

With these convincing victories, both Lakstars A and BD Tigers have set the stage for an exhilarating clash in the finals, promising cricket enthusiasts a match filled with excitement and skill.

Samith Lakpriya