IISc lift Centenary Cup

The victorious team IISc poses with the IISc Centenary Cricket Cup 2011 [Photo credit: Saurav Bhattacharya]

8 May 2011, IISc Gymkhana Ground, Bangalore: The final of the IISc Centenary Cricket Cup 2011 produced a cracker of a contest. As the drama unfolded, the audience was kept on tenterhooks right till the very last ball was bowled.  It was a fairytale finish for the home team as they pipped RNSIT by a slender three-run margin to lift the intercollegiate trophy.

Opting to bat, IISc rode on an explosive half-century from Arindam Ghosh (71 off 42 balls) to post a healthy 168/8. Arindam’s blazing knock was laced with twelve boundaries. For the visitors, Vinay (2/18) and Jayanth (3/25) bowled nagging spells.

Though RNSIT lost Vinay early, Maharshi (81 off 66 balls) was on full-throttle right from the word go and kept them abreast with the required rate. IISc kept chipping away with crucial wickets at regular intervals to keep RNSIT in check. Ashith’s direct hit from covers to run out Lohith was a body blow to the visitors’ chase. 

Maharshi aka 'mango' seemed to be the man to do the job till he blasted one straight into the waiting hands of Vikram at covers. Abhishek hit a few meaty strokes to take RNSIT within ten runs of the target with an over to spare. Varun came on to bowl the last over - his first over of the tournament - and held his nerve conceding only six. The hosts emerge champions to lift the IISc Centenary Cricket Cup 2011.

Brief Scores: (Final, IISc Centenary Cup 2011)

IISc - 168/8 in 25 overs
(Arindam 71, Ashith 24, Vinay 2/18, Jayanth 3/25)
RNSIT - 165/7 in 25 overs
(Maharshi 81, Abhishek 27*, Ashith 2/38)
 

Result: IISc won by 3 runs
Man-of-the-match: Arindam Ghosh

Player-of-the-tournament: Ashith Shyam