MUMBAI, May 22: Skipper Sushant Marathe led from the front today to raise Padmakar Shivalkar XI's hopes of making it to the final of the Elf-Vengsarkar under-14 cricket tournament. The 12-year-old Marathe's unbeaten 102 (77b, 14x4) and his 116-run association for the second wicket with opener Sanil Rane (31: 52b, 4x4) paved Shivalkar XI's emphatic six-wicket victory over Dilip Sardesai XI at the Elf-Vengsarkar Cricket Academy (EVCA) ground, Oval maidan this afternoon.Earlier, electing to bat Sardesai XI had posted 180-6 in the stipulated 35 overs. Left-handed opener Praful Vaghela (69: 87b, 8x4), Sahil Kukreja (41: 50b, 6x4) and Rohan Sadarjoshi (41: 33b, 6x4) were the principal scorers. However, Shivalkar XI made short-work of the target by achieving it in 27.5 overs.
Earlier, Ajit Wadekar XI trounced Polly Umrigar XI by eight wickets and ended their league engagements with an all-win record and a berth in the final.
Wadekar XI, however, suffered a setback when left-arm spinner Raunak Shah fracturedhis arm while plucking a tumbling return catch to dismiss Girish Vaswani (4). The 12-year-old Shah's superlative effort ended in agony and he has been ruled out for the final. ``It will take six weeks for him to recuperate,'' informed EVCA physio Dr Kinjal Suratwala.
Wadekar XI wicket-keeper Pradosh Mayekar, who affected a brilliant stumping off medium-pacer Saijit Shetty to dismiss Umrigar XI skipper Rohan Saldanha (41: 60b, 7x4) was adjudged Man of the Match. Mayekar also chipped in a useful 29 (30b, 5x4) in an unbeaten third wicket stand worth 56 runs with opener Hiken Shah (45 not out: 67b, 5x4).
Brief Scores: Polly Umrigar 125 in 32.2 overs (Rohan Saldanha 41; Saijeet Shetty 2-21, Shahid Shaikh 2-6, Parag Madkaikar 2-27) lost to Ajit Wadekar XI 126-2 in 26.2 overs (Hiken Shah 45 n.o., Pradosh Mayekar 29 n.o., Vishal Prasad 2-38) by eight wickets. Man of the Match: Pradosh Mayekar.
Dilip Sardesai XI 180-6 in 35 overs (Praful Waghela 69, Sahil Kukreja 41, Rohan Sadarjoshi 41; Devraj Raut 3-24) lostto Padmakar Shivalkar XI 181-4 in 27.5 overs (Sanil Rane 31, Sushant Marathe 102 n.o., Rohan Amladi 2-32) by six wickets. MoM: Sushant Marathe.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.