Netaji Subhas Sports Academy (NSSA) of Karimganj defeated India Club of Silchar, in a low scoring final of Assam Cricket Association initiated Assam Premier Cup’s South zone clash, played at Silchar’s District Sports Association ground on Tuesday.
In a 40-over cricket match, the visitors, NSSA defeated the hosts, India Club, by 37 runs on a day, when the battle between these top clubs swung in each others favour with each passing over.
Put in to bat after India Club won the toss early in the morning, NSSA scored 172 runs losing seven wickets in their stipulated 40 overs. Thanks to splendid knocks of 51 runs from 74 balls from Dipankar Aditya and Bijoy Deb who scored 59 runs from 96 balls, the visitors NSSA put up a score to fight it out against much fancied India Club.
In their reply, with a slow start and some tight balling by NSSA, hosts India Club were bundled out for 135 runs in 35.2 overs. A splendid bowling spell of seven overs and scalping four wickets by just giving away 17 runs by Amitava Das, broke the back bone of a formidable side like India Club. Parvez Musharaf’s 35 runs off 72 balls and 39 runs off 46 balls by Ikramul Ali were not good enough to take their team cross the finish line and be the zonal champions.
Though both the teams being group champions of their respective clusters would move to the final rounds that would be played in other venues of upper Assam and Guwahati, NSSA took home a sum of Rs two lakhs after becoming the south zone champions on Tuesday.
Himadri Sekhar Das, coach of India Club, talking to Northeast Now, said, “Dropping of some crucial catches by our side, allowed them to build partnerships. Secondly, the batting collapse of our top order also didn’t help us either to win this match.”
Arindam Chakraborty, captain of NSSA who was elated after winning this match, talking to this correspondent said, “We are happy that we could defeat a very strong side like India Club. Now we move to the final rounds to be played among zone champions of the state of Assam. I would only ask from my teammates to play to their potential and maintain the team spirit to perform better.”