Modern English School (MES) Chembur conceded narrow lead of four runs to Anjuman-I-Islam Allana English CSMT on the second day of final of 128th Harris Shield tournament at Brabourne Stadium, CCI on Tuesday. Anjuman Allana who posted 267 in 79.1 overs at the end of day 1, restricted Modern English to 263/8 in 80 overs.
Anjuman now have the slight advantage in the prestigious MSSA U-16 inter-school final which is being played on a 80-80, 40-40 format across three days. Four runs will be added to Anjuman’s second innings total on third and the final day of the match. Modern English will have to chase down Anjuman’s cumulative total in 40 overs and get outright win.
Left-handed batter Devesh Birje scored 64 with eight boundaries for MES. He pierced the gaps well and played some exceptional shots. Kanav Saini and Sudhan Sundarraj both made 48 apiece. All-rounder Vivaan Jobanputra and Praanav Iyengar contributed with 38 runs each.
For Anjuman, Prabhat Pandey picked two wickets. Salman Khan, Yuvan Sharma, and Abdur Rahman Khan grabbed one wicket each. Yuvan and Shane Raza bowled unchanged in the last session and got ball in the right areas to do the job for their team.Yuvan got wicket on the last ball of the innings and Raza remained wicket less despite an inspired show.
Modern English batters started well to negotiate the initial juice in the pitch and had things under control in the first session.
However, in the last session three run-outs cost the team dearly as they fell agonisingly short of the target that would have pepped them up on the last day. Iyengar’s run out changed the complexion of the game. Sundarraj who was involved in the run out, didn’t panic and took charge to remain in hunt to overhaul Anjuman’s first innings total. However Sundarraj too was run out in a dramatic fashion in the last over.
Iyengar tried to sneak a single but the Gully fielder was too sharp to catch him short off the crease. New batter Kavish Gosalia took time to settle in allowing seamer Raza and off-spinner Yohan to bowl crucial dot balls. Yohan bowled almost five overs without conceding a run and Raza mixed his deliveries smartly, pitching short at crucial junctures to increase pressure. Modern English needed 47 in last ten overs to match Anjuman’s first innings effort, with five wickets in hand.
As things got tighter, Modern English batters under the pump got a breather in the form of drinks break. They needed 40 in seven overs and Sundarraj got them going with first ball leg side boundary of Yohan after drinks to keep his school supporters going. Gosalia also got into act by picking gaps to keep scoreboard ticking. However, Anjuman school supporters kept shouting to lift the morale of the team.
Gosalia was run out while trying to convert single into double but Sundarraj wasn’t interested, resulting in another run out at crucial juncture. MES still required 26 in four overs. Undeterred by two run outs at another end, Sundarraj kept scoring and his school required 9 runs in last over to level scores. He kept scoreboard moving with 48 in 54 balls, laced with just four boundaries. But the pressure go him as he tried to steal a single to get strike and was run out. With eight runs required of four deliveries, Jasmeet Singh missed two but guided the penultimate ball for four to keep hopes alive. But Yohan dismissed him in the last ball of innings to hand Anjuman initiative.
Earlier on Monday, Anjuman opener Hamza Khan showed his prowess with the bat making 64 with 10 fours while all-rounder Abdur Rahman Khan contributed 34 in 70 balls with three boundaries. Shahid Khan also played well for his 50 in 60 deliveries with four boundaries.
Left arm spinner Vivaan Jobanputra from the Modern English side took 4/71 in 25.1 overs.
Brief Scores: End of Day 2
Anjuman I-Islam Allana English High School: 267 all out in 79.1 overs (Hamza Khan 64, Shahid Khan 50, Abdur Rahman Khan 34, Vivaan Jobanputra 4/71) vs Modern English School Chembur: 263/8 in 80 overs (Devesh Birje 64, Kanav Saini 48, Sudhan Sundarraj 48, Vivaan Jobanputra 38, Praanav Iyengar 38)
