Jayesh Pokhare (97) of Chandrakant Pandit XI shines with the bat in U25 Shalini Bhalekar Trophy

By CricketGraph Editor Last updated Jan 2, 2022

In match number four of U-25 Shalini Bhalekar Trophy, an MCA (Mumbai Cricket Association) affiliated tournament that was played between Dilip Vengsarkar XI and Chandrakant Pandit XI, Jayesh Pokhare of Chandrakant Pandit XI top scored for his team with a scintillating 97. Coming in to bat under pressure when his team was tottering at 100-4, Pokhare showed nerves of steel as he absorbed the pressure and played an instrumental role in his team’s total of 356-9. The left hand batter held the innings together along with Minad Manjrekar (74 not out) and Divyansh Saxena (65). Pokhare stood there like a rock, while the other batters played around him.

“Our coach Rajesh Sanil sir just told me to bat out time and play as close to my body. He asked me to be patient and play every ball only on its merit. Sir’s advice paid off as I was able to help my team recover from a pressure situation. I am glad that I was able to contribute to my team’s success”, Jayesh told CricketGraph.

He further added, “The wicket was green and the new ball was swinging quite a bit. Our opponents had some good fast bowlers in their ranks, including Arjun Tendulkar, who used the new ball well and exploited the green wicket. When I went in to bat, the ball became relatively old. There was not much swing, however there was some reverse swing on offer. It was important for me to play the reverse swingers well. I was determined to play as close to the body as possible as advised by Rajesh sir. I enjoyed facing the spinners and was able to hit some good shots off them.”

The three day match between Dilip Vengsarkar XI and Chandrakant Pandit XI ended in a draw. Batting first, Dilip Vengsarkar XI declared their innings at 379-9 in 77 overs. In reply, Chandrakant Pandit XI scored 356-9 in 85.1 overs. Batting in the second innings, Dilip Vengsarkar XI were bowled out for 208 in 59.2 overs, while Chandrakant Pandit XI put together 89-0 in 12 overs, before the match ended in a draw.