Dole, Aradhya spearhead Deccan Gymkhana win against Presidents

B D Narayankar

bapun@sakalherald.com

PUNE: Just before the heavens could open up, pacers Aditya Dole and Sachin Aradhya uncorked their fiery stuff to help Deccan Gymkhana script a resounding victory over Presidents XI thumping them by an innings and 171 runs in the MCA Senior Invitational Super League Tournament here on Thursday.

Deccan Gymkhana pacers Aditya Dole and Sachin Aradhya skittled out Presidents XI for a paltry 91 runs in their second dig.

After declaring their first innings at 331 for eight wickets in 85.3 overs, Deccan Gymkhana went into the field with a plan to bowl the opposition out before the heavens opened up. “My captain told me to bowl within the stumps to force the batsmen to play. This way I got wickets regularly,” Dole told Maharashtra Herald after claiming four wickets for 43 runs.

And their was a point in Deccan Gymkhana’s captain to bowl a nagging line as the wicket had lost all the juice that was there in the morning. There was something for the bowlers, however, to exploit as the occasional ball was swinging and seaming, depending on the whimsical weather conditions.

Dole celebrated his first wicket by removing Manoj Shirole after having disturbed his furniture and then sent the stumps cart-wheeling in the very next ball faced by Jay Lobhe for naught.

Two quick wickets set the pace and gave tremendous fillip to support bowler Aradhya, who claimed three wickets for 17 runs.

Earlier, resuming their overnight score from 249 for four, Deccan Gymkhana batsmen Satyajit Satbhai and Shoumit Bhide went on to pile a 180-runs partnership for fifth wicket. First to go was Satbhai caught by Yogesh Takawale of Kishore Bhikhane’s bowling for a magnificent 142 (overnight 110 not out).

Bhide was next to go caught Rakesh Ubale bold Sunil Patel after making 57. Soon Deccan Gymkhana lost two quick wickets and at lunch they declared their innings.

BRIEF SCORES: Deccan Gymkhana bt Presidents XI by an innings and 171 runs; Presidents XI I Innings: 48 all out; Deccan Gymkhana I Innings: 331 for 8 in 85.3 overs (Satyajit Satbhai 142, Shoumit Bhide 57, Sunil Patel 4 for 72, Azhar Ansari 3 for 53); Presidents XI II Innings: 91 all out in 23.5 overs (Aditya Dole 4 for 43, Sachin Aradhya 3 for 17)