Malinga and Pushpakumara script unlikely win
The first class season got underway for the Nondescripts with a tense win against Delhi yesterday. Nondescripts captain Hashan Tillakaratne won the toss and had no hesitiation in batting first in good conditions.
Muzumdar and Tharanga successfully saw off the opening bowlers Nehra and Gill, starting very cautiously as the ball moved around in the air. West Indian import Dwayne Bravo then came on to bowl, he soon snapped up Upul Tharanga, who edged an outswinger to first slip. Skipper and keeper Tillakaratne was soon to follow, as was Muzumdar, with Bravo again doing the damage. By lunch time, Nondescripts were three down, thanks to a pumped up Bravo. After the break, it was Arnold who found himself out to Bravo, which brought Nawaz to the crease with Sangakkara. The two both brought up fifties as they put on a 93 run partnership before Sangakkara was trapped in front by Gill for a well played 59. Nanda then dismissed Bahutule and Pushpakumara in consecutive balls, only for Mudalige to come in and be dropped. Bhandari soon finished him off, before Bravo came on and had Nawaz lbw for a fighting 77. Komasaru became Bravo's six wickets as the Nondescripts tumbled to 237.
Lasith Malinga got the Nondescripts off to a stellar start as he dismissed opener Tehlan in the first over for a duck. He soon followed it up by having Chopra caught behind. Pushpakumara then got in the act, taking Jadeja and Manhas in their teens, leaving Delhi on 4/64. Gambhir fought well for Delhi, hitting 47 as partners fell at the other end, thanks to Pushpakumara and Malinga. After Gambhir was out to Pushpakumara, Malinga came back on and quickly finished off the tail, taking 5 and leaving Delhi all out for 161 for a lead of 76.
The second innings from the Nondescipts was later described by the coach as one of the worst he has seen. Three players made double figures, one of whom was the number 11. Tharanga and Tillakaratne were the first to go, and Muzumdar, who's 25 was the top score for the visitors, was run out to leave the Nondescripts on 3/36. This became 7/57, with Sangakkara, Arnold, Nawaz and Pushpakumara all dismissed for under 10. Bahutule came in with a defensive mindset, but lost Mudalige and Komasaru, leaving the score on 9/77. Bahutule managed 18 off 53, but a Bravo inswinger proved too much for him as his middle stump was uprooted, leaving Malinga on 12 not out. Nanda was the main wicket taker for Delhi, his five wickets setting up what should have been a win for the home team.
Delhi started their innings needing 173 for victory, and Tehlan and Chopra got off to a very watchful start, with the ball swinging both ways. With the score on 28, it was Malinga who got the first breakthrough, with Chopra caught, and then clipping the bails of first drop Bhandari for a duck, leaving Delhi two down at stumps on day two. Malinga began the next day as he left off, with Tehlan out to a questionable lbw decision. As he had done in Delhi's first innings, Pushpakumara ran through the middle order, taking Nehra, Manhas and Jadeja to leave the score on 6/100. With 73 runs to get and four wickets in hand, it was anyone's game. A fourty-seven run partnership between Gambhir and Dhawan, both of whom made 30s, seemed to have the game sealed, but Nondescripts import Bahutule had Gambhir caught off an outside edge, before a Komasaru slower ball had Bravo plumb lbw, leaving Delhi dangling on 8/156, needing 17 more runs. With Dhawan still in, it seemed a done deal for Delhi, especially with Nanda standing tall at his end. But it was Bahutule who again made the crucial breakthrough, with Sangakkara taking a mangificent diving catch to dismiss Dhawan, leaving Delhi 9 down and 9 runs behind. Captain Tillakaratne then threw the ball to Mudalige, and with his second ball of the innings, a tentative prod from Nanda caught the edge and carried to Sangakkara, who happily took the catch to win the game for Nondescripts by only 9 runs.
Nondescripts 237
Nawaz 77 (142), Sangakkara 59 (86), Muzumdar 36 (80)
Bravo 6/40, Nanda 2/53
Delhi 161
Gambhir 47 (78), Bravo 23 (42), Jadeja 16 (15)
Malinga 5/64, Pushpakumara 4/54
Nondescripts 97
Muzumdar 25 (72), Bahutule 18 (53), Malinga 12* (33)
Nanda 5/22, Gill 2/21
Delhi 164
Dhawan 39 (106), Gambhir 32 (78), Jadeja 19 (47)
Pushpakumara 3/41, Malinga 3/45