Parsee Gymkhana create history by Winning 3rd Successive Police Shield Title

Mumbai, December 26: Formidable Parsee Gymkhana riding on the wave of success extended their winning streak as they won their third successive tournament recording an authoritative 298 runs victory against defending champions Payyade Sports Club in the three-day final of the Automotive Manufacturing-74th Police Invitation Shield Cricket Tournament 2021-2022, organised under the auspices of MCA, at the Police Gymkhana ground, Marine Drive on Sunday.

It was a memorable day for Parsee Gymkhana, who is the first club from the city to win three back-to-back tournaments, across different formats, in the history of Mumbai cricket. The red hot Parsee Gymkhana had earlier won the Talim Shield T20 tournament and Madhav Mantri Centenary One-Day 45 overs League and now added the Police Shield to their trophy collection.

Parsee Gymkhana had earlier won this prestigious tournament way back in 1956. When they last emerged champions the Parsee Gymkhana team included Indian stalwarts late Polly Umrigar, Farook Engineer and 92-year-old Hoshang Dadachanji.

The Marine Drive club dominated play from the start amassing a massive score of 524 for 9 wickets in their (90 overs) first innings on the opening day. Indian cricketer Suryakumar Yadav had hogged the limelight with a marathon innings of 249 runs, while Aditya Tare 73 runs, Sachin Yadav 63 runs and Vikrant Auti 52 runs contributed to swell the total.

Parsee Gymkhana continued their dominance on the second day as their bowlers bundled out Payyade Sports Club for a paltry 171 runs in 49 overs in the first innings. Medium pacers Siddharth Raut (4 for 47) and Shivam Malhotra (2 for 17) and off-spinner Sagar Udeshi (3 for 53) were responsible for dismissing Payyade batsmen cheaply. Payyade’s lower order bastmen Atif Attarwala (38 runs), Pradeep Sahu (31 runs) and Akash Parkar (26 runs) were the only three batsmen who got some decent runs.

In the second (40 overs) innings, Parsee Gymkhana was dismissed for 142 runs in 37.4 overs. Prolific batsman Sachin Yadav top-scored with 53 runs, while left-arm medium-pacers Roystan Dias (5 for 51), and Aatif Attarwala (4 for 39) picked up the wickets.

Payyade who in their second essay needed 495 runs to win from 40 overs managed to score 197 for the loss of six wickets and lost by 298 runs. Bhupen Lalwani 46 runs, Siddhesh Lad 46 runs, and Pradeep Sahu unbeaten 40 runs were the top run-scorers. Sagar Udeshi (3 for 65) got the wickets.

The victorious Parsee Gymkhana side received the glittering Police Shield trophy and a cash award of RS one lakh from Chief Guest Ravi Shastri, former Indian  cricketer and coach and Hemant Nagrale IPS, Commissioner of Police. Payyade Sports Club were presented the runners-up trophy and a cash award of Rs 50,000.

Suryakumar Yadav, who won the Best batsman of the final award handed over his cash prize to the Mumbai Police Gymkhanana groundsmen for their tremendous work in maintain the entire ground in top condition.

Sachin Yadav of Parsee Gymkhana bagged the Best batsman of the tournament and the Emerging Player of the tournament.

Brief scores: Parsee Gymkhana — 1st innings (90 overs): 524 for 9 in 90 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 249 (Min. 199, Balls-152, 37 x 4, 5 x 6), Aditya Tare 73, Sachin Yadav 63, Vikrant Auti 52; Siddhesh Lad 3 for 40) and 2nd innings (40 overs): 142 all out in 37.4 overs (Sachin Yadav 53, Roystan Dias 5/51, Atif Attarwala 4/39) beat  Payyade Sports Club — 1st innings (90 overs): 171 all out in 49 overs (Atif Attarwala 38, Pradeep Sahu 31; Siddharth Raut 4/47, Sagar Udeshi 3/53) and 2nd innings (40 overs): 197/6 in 40 overs (Bhupen Lalwani 46, Siddhesh Lad 46, Pradeep Sahu 40*; Sagar Udeshi 3/65). Result: Parsee Gymkhana won by 298 runs.

Individual awards –

Best fielder of the final: Vikrant Auti (Parsee Gym).

Best bowler of the final: Aatif Attarwala (Payyade SC).

Best batter of the final: Suryakumar Yadav (Parsee Gym).

Best bowler of the tournament: Siddharth Raut (Parsee Gym)

Best batsman of the tournament: Sachin Yadav (Parsee Gym).

Emerging player of the tournament: Sachin Yadav (Parsee Gym)

Courtesy: Gordon D Costa