Local League: Grand Slam keeps its nose in front in final

In reply to Globe Trotters’ first innings total of 293, Grand Slam put its nose ahead by ending the second day of the three-day final at 294 for eight with V Yo Mahesh batting on 38 and R Divakar on four on Saturday. Divakar struck a four off the day’s last ball to bring a thrilling end to a riveting day’s play. 

A crucial partnership of 41 runs for the eighth wicket between Yo Mahesh and B Arun helped Grand Slam get within touching distance of Trotters’ 293. Arun may have scored only 10 runs but the time he spent at the crease, he faced 59 deliveries, enabled his senior partner Yo Mahesh to keep the runs coming from the other end. Arun received a couple of painful blows to his shoulder in the bowling of Basil Thampi but he overcame the pain to continue batting doggedly. 

Earlier, at 203 for three in the 51st over, with two set batsmen in the middle, and with more than a session remaining to be played, it looked as if Grand Slam was poised to taking the lead without breaking much sweat.The match turned on its head, or so it seemed, when batsman Shubham Sharma was dismissed by pacer Basil Thampi for 35 (75b, 5x4). 

And just before the tea break, part-time spinner Anmolpreet Singh removed PS Rahul for 10 (21b, 1x4) with the score on 230. 

After doing all the hard work, Grand Slam wicketkeeper N Jagadeesan, with a century in his sights, got out on 94 (145b, 12x4) to Anmolpreet who took a simple return catch. Things looked under control for Grand Slam during the 79-run association for the fourth wicket between Jagadeesan and Shubham Sharma. 

The tension heightened when southpaw R Sai Kishore was the seventh wicket to fall when he was caught at forward short leg off legspinner S Radhakrishnan with Grand Slam trailing by 48 runs. 

Allrounder Yo Mahesh, who scored two hundreds for Tamil Nadu in this season’s Ranji Trophy, bailed his team out with a patient and chanceless innings. 

Trotters was left ruing an untimely injury to its left-arm fast bowler Chetan Sakariya, who had to walk off the field with an injury. 

The other two Pacers, Sunil Sam and Thampi, shared five wickets between them but the former was guilty of overstepping on quite a few occasions.

BRIEF SCORES: Globe Trotters 293 vs Grand Slam 294/8 in 87 overs (N Jagadeesan 94, V Yo Mahesh 38*, Shubham Sharma 35, Basil Thampi 3/75).