Dubai Cricket Council gets veterans and amateurs hooked
Nikhil and Satish star in Dubai Mammoths’ triumph in Saturday Silly Sloggers league
The Dubai Cricket Council’s (DCC) idea to engage more cricketers and provide them with competitive contests is getting popular.
The Weekend Slammers 25over tournament being held at the International Cricket Council (ICC) Academy grounds and Saturday Silly Sloggers at Sevens ground has a common theme of wanting everyone to keep playing cricket irrespective of their age and skills.
Shiva Pagarani of DCC said: “The Saturday Silly Sloggers is predominantly for veterans above 40 years of age whereas Weekend Slammer event is for amateurs. Both events are meant to provide the joy of playing the game every weekend.
“In Saturday Sloggers, one may find fathers and sons playing in it, for example Mukund Srinivasan is in his fifties while his son Nikhil is in his twenties. The Weekend Slammer is aimed at amateurs and hence professionals, especially those playing for UAE, will not be allowed. This is to ensure that the contest is balanced and anyone, who is starting off or playing the game for sheer fun, can enjoy it.”
Last week, Dubai Mammoths won the Saturday Silly Sloggers title — riding on young Nikhil and veteran A.K. Satish’s superb batting. Satish cracked an unbeaten 68, while Nikhil hit 65 to race past Dubai Rhinos’ total of 156 for nine in 30 overs and win the title in 19.2 overs.
Satish won the best batsman
Saturday Silly Sloggers Final:
Dubai Mammoths beat Dubai Rhinos by five wkts. Dubai Rhinos 156 for 9 in 30 overs (Ranjeet Chavan 20, Vinan Nair 23, Lucky Abbas 21, Naveen Punjabi 3 for 34, Sameer A Khan 2 for 25, Prashant Shetty 2 for 18) Dubai Mammoths 158 for 5 in 19.4 overs (AK Satish 68 n.o., Nikhil Srinivasan 65, Rishik Janswami 2 for 21).
Nikhil Srinivasan.
Man of the match: Individual awards: Best batsman: Best bowler: Player of the tournament:
A.K. Satish. Naveen Punjabi Lucky Abbas. Weekend Slammers:
The Cricketers bt Red Knights by 184 runs.
The Cricketers 253 for 3 in 25 overs (Anwar Ali 137 n.o., Syed Haider 50 n.o.) Red Knights 69 in 17.2 overs (Sultan 2 for 9, Yasir Siraj 2 for 14, Tayyab Ali 2 for 17, V. Lee
award — piling up 200 runs from his four matches. His 68 came off 48 balls with nine boundaries, while Nikhil blasted three sixes and six fours in his 65.
In the Weekend Slammer 2 for 7, Khurram Khawaja 2 for 8). Anwar Ali.
Man of the match: Friends CC bt The Warriors by 38 runs.
Friends 159 for 9 in 25 overs (Abdul Hafeez 61, Harish Pai 33; Ajay Joshi 2 for 25, Muzaffar Ali 2 for 28, Sahil Jain 2 for 17) The Warriors 121 for 9 in 25 overs (Sahil Jain 33, Narendra 24, Ali Nagi 21; Abdul Lateef 4 for 33, Basheer Nadaf 2 for 23, Ehsaan Jameel 2 for 7). Abdul Lateef.
Man of the match: Dubai Mammoths bt Red Knights by five wkts.
Red Knights 150 in 22.2 overs (Kaarthic Vydya 43, Bharat M 32; Lucky Abbas 3 for 18, Ranjeet Chavan 3 for 40, Ambey Parwatkar 2 for 31) Mammoths 156 for 4 in 14.2 overs (Abid Chaudhury 65n.o., Lucky Abbas 45, Atiq Mahmood 22; Karan Tekwani 3 for 35). Lucky Abbas.
DCC official
Man of the match:
tournament, Anwar Ali cracked an unbeaten 137 for The Cricketers team and ensured an emphatic 184-run win over Red Knights. He hit 11 sixes and eight fours during his 68-ball stay.