Don Bosco's centurion Sahil makes Al Barkaat pay for dropped catch

Bosco's Sahil Jadhav celebrates his ton yesterday. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Don Bosco (Matunga) skipper Sahil Jadhav made Al Barkaat MMI (Kurla) pay dearly for dropping him early in the innings as he went on to score a century and help his team post 271-9 on Day One of the three-day U-16 Harris Shield final at the Brabourne Stadium on Monday.

Al Barkaat's left-arm spinner Anurag Singh (3-74) and right-arm pacer Mayur Deorukhkar (3-50) were impressive while offie Aryan Shejule finished with 2-72. At stumps, Don Bosco's Soham Nalawde and Chris D'Britto were unbeaten on two and 12 respectively.

Solid start for Bosco
Put in to bat, openers Arya Chowkidar (37) and Sudesh Pednekar (17) provided Don Bosco a solid start, scoring 38 in the first six overs. However, the Matunga side failed to capitalise on the initiative and lost Sudesh and Arya within five overs, leaving them on 58-2 after 10.3 overs. No. 3 batsman Aryaraj Nikam was caught by wicketkeeper Tushar Singh off Mayur. While Anuraj clean bowled Sumeel Kotian at the stroke of lunch to have the Matunga school in trouble at 81-4.

Don Bosco would have been in bigger trouble had Robin Vel held on to a simple catch at midwicket off Mayur immediately after lunch to send skipper Sahil (then on six) back to the pavilion. Sahil did not need a second chance and went on to share a 38-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Aman Yadav, a 32-run stand for the sixth wicket with Bhushan Sawant and 39 for the seventh with Varun Chalke to bring the Bosco boys back on track at 190-6 at tea.

Double delight
The Matunga school lost Varun immediately after tea, but that didn't stop Sahil, who chipped one to mid-on off Anurag to bring up his second century of the tournament, off 210 balls. Sahil, however, perished soon after, caught on 101 at mid-off by Arman Pathan off Mayur after sharing a 67-run stand for the eighth wicket with Ayush.

"I'm happy to get my team out of trouble, but I'm not happy with the way I got out. I should have stayed at the crease and converted my hundred into a big one. That would have helped my school post a big total. Hopefully, we will be able to dismiss them early tomorrow and take a first innings lead," said Sahil, a Badlapur resident, who stays with his relatives at Andheri.

Brief scores
Don Bosco 271-9 (Sahil Jadhav 101, Arya Chowkidar 37, Ayush Sawant 33; Mayur Deorukhkar 3-50, Anurag J Singh 3-74, Aryan A Shejule 2-72) v Al Barkaat

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