Dubai: The UAE’s promising 17-year-old wicketkeeper/batsman Vriitya Aravind cracked an unbeaten 82 to steer the Titans to a 39-run victory over the Gladiators in the Dubai Cricket Council’s Youth League matches played at the Sevens grounds in Dubai. In other matches, the Titans beat the Trojans by eight wickets while the Huns beat the Gladiators by 39 runs. These matches were the last to be held just before Emriates Cricket Board announced closure of all domestic cricket in the UAE.
Aravind, who was in top form during the ICC Under-19 World Cup in South Africa recently and also in DCC’s Mammoth’s league, put on a 56-run partnership with Ronak Panoly. After Panoly fell for 34 off 47 balls, Aravind hit six boundaries and a six during his knock. Chris Sequeira too chipped in with 34 runs to help the Titans score 177-4 in 30 overs.
Chasing the total, the Gladiators were restricted to 138-8 with Panoly taking two wickets for 20 runs while Kushal Chiluka top scored with runs 34 runs.
The Titans also defeated the Trojans by eight wickets through a splendid four-wicket spell for 29 runs from Vedant Deshpande. The Trojans could muster only 57 runs despite UAE Under-19 captain Aryan Lakra top scoring with 21 runs. The Titans won in 11.3 overs with Punya Mehra hitting an unbeaten 29.
The Huns won by 39 runs over the Gladiators after posting 217-9 through Neel Amanath’s 60. Nilansh Keshwani’s fine spell of 5-42 went in vain as the Gladiators could muster only 178 runs, despite K. Dhanuska’s 40 and Alishan Sharafu’s 39 runs. Ali Naseer checked the run flow through a spell of 3-41.
Brief scores
Titans bt Gladiators by 39 runs. Titans 177-4 in 30 overs (Vriitya Aravind 82 n.o., Ronak Panoly 34, Chris Sequeira 34; Ruth Mukherjee 2-32) Gladiators 138-8 (Kushal Chiluka 34, Harsh Bobade 20; Ronak Panoly 2-20). Man of the match: Vrittya Aravind.
Titans bt Trojans by 8 wkts. Trojans 57 all out in 15.1 overs (Aryan Lakra 21; Vedant Deshpande 4-29) Titans 58-2 in 11.3 overs (Punya Mehra 29 n.o., R Sudanshu 19 n.o.; Aditya Shetty 2-16). Man of the match: Vedant Deshpande.
Huns bt Gladiators by 39 runs. Huns 217-9 in 30 overs (Neel Amanath 60, Siddhanth Raina 39, Ahaan Fernandes 30; Nilansh Keswani 5-42, Harshit Seth 2-31) Gladiators 178 all out (Alishan Sharafu 39, K. Dhanuska 40, Harshit Seth 22, Aditya Thakkar 20; Ali Naseer 3-41. Colin Alphonso 3-31, Aquil Nausheva 2-36). Man of the match: Neel Amanath.
