KPL 2016, Match 2 Review: Mysuru Warriors start the campaign on a winning note

Mysuru Warriors made light work of their task, as their batsmen romped home with seven wickets in hand, and 17 balls to spare in the second match against Mangalore United at KPL 2016.

After winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Mangalore United were pushed onto the back foot early in the innings, after a three-wicket burst from Mysuru Warriors, reduced United to 3 for 33 inside the batting power-play. Nishanth Shekhawat and Shishir Bhavane, both went back without troubling the scorers.

The Mysuru bowlers did well to keep the United batsmen quiet, with a scorecard of 3 for 46 at the halfway mark, highlighting the tight spells bowled by Vyshak Vijaykumar, Adithya Sagar, and Rajoo Bhatkal.

With pressure mounting and number of balls reducing, Nidesh decided to take the attack to the opposition, slamming 54 off just 40 balls, before being trapped lbw off J Suchith’s bowling.

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Unfazed by the fall of wickets at one end, United stand-in skipper, CM Gautam, blended caution with aggression, slamming 64 of 55 balls, before falling to a fine piece of fielding from Rajoo Bhatkal.  Fifties from Gautam and Nidesh ensured that Mangalore United reached a fighting total of 148 for 7 at the end of their twenty overs.

For the Warriors, both Sagar and Vyshak took two wickets each.

In reply, Mysuru Warriors got off to a brisk start, scoring at nine runs an over in the batting power-play. Undeterred by the intermittent drizzles, Bhatkal and Arjun Hoysala motored along nicely, with Bhatkal being the aggressor; slamming 48 from 29 deliveries, before holing out to Harsha Basavraj at long on. Arjun (22) soon followed suit, dragging an inside edge onto the stumps off Bhareth NP’s bowling.

That brought K Gowtham to the middle, whose power hitting ability was on full display, as he nonchalantly launched four sixes into the Hubbali sky, before being dismissed for a well-made 36 off 20 balls.

Gowtham was the last Mysuru wicket to fall, as Jonathan and R Prateeksh steered their team home in a jiffy. On a day when every bowler went for more than eight runs an over, Bhareth NP returned figures of 3-0-20-1.

Rajoo Bhatkal was adjudged the Man of the Match for his 29-ball 48.

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