New Delhi: An all-round performance from the team of Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) outclassed Runstar Cricket Club Delhi to win the final match of the 26th season of the All India JP Atray Memorial Cricket Tournament on Sunday. Himachal Pradesh successfully attained a remarkable 75-run win over Delhi.
Batting first, Himachal scored 175 runs. In reply, Delhi were bundled up after scoring 100 runs in 15.2 overs. Ayush and Naveen were pick of the Himachal bowlers as the duo bagged 3 wickets apiece.
None of the Delhi batsmem could manage to stay on the crease for long. Only two Delhi batsmen could touch the double figure. Sumit Verma scored the highest 36 runs for Delhi while Pradeep Malik scored 26. Himachal bowlers bowled brilliantly, taking wickets consistently, which helped them strengthen their grip on the match. They never allowed Delhi to steady their sinking ship or make a comeback with a partnership.
For Himachal, Ayush bagged 3 wickets for 28 runs and Naveen Kanwar picked 3 wickets. Apart from making a mark in bowling, Himachal also batted brilliantly. The All India JP Atray Memorial Cricket Tournament started on September 1. The tournament was played at the IS Bindra Cricket Stadium in Mohali, Punjab.
The 16 teams participating in the tournament were divided into four pools. Pool A consisted of Bihar XI, PCA Colts, Players XI and HPCA. Pool B had teams from Chhattisgarh State Cricket Association, Punjab Cricket Club, UP Cricket Association and RBI Mumbai. Teams from UTCA Chandigarh, Minerva Cricket Academy Chandigarh, Runstar Cricket Club Delhi and Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association were included in Pool C. Many interesting matches were seen in this tournament.