W

ith rain threatening to play spoilsport at the weekend'€™s TATA Motors JCA League games, determined and resilient cricketers came out to defy the odds, putting on some nail-biting encounters including an eight-run victory to Challengers CC, WPP India XI coming out winners by one wicket and GMIS triumphing by four wickets in a truncated game.

At Cibubur, overnight and persistent rain made ground conditions seem unplayable for the Sunday game between Challengers CC and Division 2 leaders Jaguars CC. However, a brief let-up in the rain saw the puddles recede on a ground known for its impressive drainage, making play possible for a reduced 20-overs-a-side match. Being asked to bat first, Challengers CC started well reaching 65/1 after 10 overs.

A typical middle and late order collapse then left the Challengers all out for 115 runs in 20 overs, a score that was about par at the lush green venue. Sunil Samtani and Satinder Minhas scored 44 and 19 runs respectively while Rehan took four wickets for eight runs.

When the Jaguars started the chase, the Challengers did not let them get away, restricting them to 21/2 at the end of the powerplay six overs. Just as Dhimanshu (26 runs) and Sasikumar were beginning to take the game away with their partnership, a fine bowling effort led by Satinder (4/13) and outstanding fielding brought the game down to Jaguars needing nine runs off the last over with one wicket standing.

In a game that saw a brilliant moment of gamesmanship when the Challengers captain Chandroo withdrew an appeal against a Jaguars batsman, a fine running catch at mid-wicket ended the Jaguars'€™ innings, eight runs short of the target in the very last over.

On Saturday at the same venue, WPP India XI defeated the Jakarta Barbarians by one wicket in another humdinger of a game. Batting first, the Barbarians were looking good at 53/0 after 12 overs. WPP, led by Ajay (2/21) then pulled things back as Barbarians crawled to 88/1 at the second drinks break, before finishing at 168/5 in 35 overs.

Vsau picked up 2/41 while Ben Burgess scored 69 runs supported by Eki (28 runs). WPP started its chase disastrously when it was reduced to 20/4 after eight overs. With all its top-order batsmen back in the pavilion, it needed a special effort from someone which Vasu delivered, forging crucial partnerships with Manoj (18 runs) and Santosh (19 runs) to take WPP to 115/7 after 24 overs.

Still 54 runs adrift with only three wickets remaining, Vasu put together another crucial 46 run partnership with Dhiraj Nagpal (16 runs) to take his team to within eight runs of the target when he departed after a well-made 61 runs off 70 balls.

With the last man standing, WPP romped home in the final over of the match to emerge deserving winners in a game that could have gone either way. At the GMIS grounds, another stupendous effort by players ensured some play was possible as hosts GMIS took on the Senayan Lions in a game reduced to 20 overs a side due to rain.

Chasing 174 to win, GMIS was off to a rollicking start led by it'€™s opening batsman Karan Tiwari (30 runs off 11 overs). Naresh Gupta (48 runs off 21 balls) and Pratyush Chaturvedi (45 runs in 23 balls) then carried on with the momentum as they reeled in the target in the 19th over with four wickets in hand.

Earlier, for Senayan CC, Amar Kapadia scored 41 runs supported by Malcolm (26 runs) as they reached 173/8. Manish (3/21) and Jalaj (2/28) shared the wickets.