Dubai: A bunch of Kerala cricketers in the UAE hogged the limelight on the first day of St Mary’s Veteran Premier League, contested by former Kerala Ranji Trophy players, at the Dubai Sevens ground.
Cricketer-turned-coach Sunil Oasis produced knocks of 44 and 32 runs for J.K. Malabar Tigers team while his teammate C.T.K. Mashood, also a leading coach and prolific run getter in UAE’s domestic cricket, produced a deadly spell of four for 10 to ensure an emphatic nine-wicket win over Travancore Panthers.
Kerala Overseas Cricketers team captain P.G. Sundar hit a unbeaten 44 and an unbeaten 32 for Kochi Royals. Shajil Balan too hit an unbeaten 27 for defending champions Absolute Sobers, that lost the opening match to Malabar Warriors.
The first day’s matches produced exciting battle with J.K. Malabar Tigers, pulling off a nail-biting win over Malabar Warriors through super over after both team’s innings score ended in a tie at the Dubai Sevens ground.
Over 100 former Kerala state players living in Kerala and different parts of the world have assembled here and are representing the six teams are battling for the title of this league’s fifth edition.
Held under the auspices of the Dubai Cricket Council and backed by Kerala Cricket Association, this league is organised by Kerala Overseas Cricketers (KOC) made up of Kerala players living in the UAE.
In the clash of the Malabar teams, Malabar Warriors posted 101 for five in the allotted 15 overs through Oasis’s 32 runs and M. Sohrab unbeaten 39.
Malabar Tigers were sailing smoothly towards the target with opener Rajagopal scoring 25 runs and M.P. Sorab hitting 38 runs. A double strike from Sohrab and two run-outs by Usman Kutty change the tempo and resulted in Tigers being restricted to 101 for five.
In the Super Over, Warriors scored 10 runs in one over while Malabar lost two wickets for five runs.
