Super Division derby flops again; India Club storms through Town Club, secures 83-run win

Each time India Club plays Town Club, the expectation rises. Though the derby culture is primarily popular in Football, the Cricket fans in the region also expect a close contest when the two giants take on each other. On Monday, India Club batted first against the Town Club at Satindra Mohan Dev Memorial Stadium in the league round of Narayan Paul Super Division Tournament.

Making a comeback after a long injury back, Raju Das had a first-ball duck. Clinical Manash Gogoi (44) and Prasenjit Sarkar (23) regained momentum for the India Club. The 72-run partnership between the duo brought India Club right on top. Transferred from United Club, Musharof Laskar (2) – captain of India Club for this season, was sent to the pavilion early by Aman Chetri. Raihan Jomeel Mazumdar (11) another veteran in the team, could not gather any momentum.

Mr. Dependable in Cachar’s Super Division cricket – Amit Yadav rose to the occasion yet again in the middle-order. After a phenomenal last season, he has scored a 45-ball 49 to steer India Club to massive 200. Prasanta Sonowal partnered Yadav and scored a significant 28. Samir Sharma took three wickets while Aman Chetri, Sambhu Roy picked two wickets each.

Chasing 200, Town Club needed a good start. But the top order with barely any footwork did nothing more than catching practice to the slip fielders. Ram Das (0), Abhishek Deb (1) both tried to drive away from the body and lost their crucial wickets to left-arm pacer, Sourabh Kumar Singh. Town Club was 33 for 4, 43 for 6, 44 for 6, 50 for 7. Apart from Samir Sinha, (43) not a single batter batted with intent. Losing all their wickets in 28.3 overs, the Town Club could only manage to score 117 handing over a 83-run win to the India Club.

Prasanta Sonowal followed up his good batting with an intelligent bowling spell. He picked three wickets and so did Sourabh Kumar Singh.