Spin does the trick for Al-Barkaat

Spin dominated the day, but it was Al-Barkaat MMI English School (Kurla) that had the last laugh. Splendid bowling performances by left-arm spinners Saud Mansoori (3 for 45) and Naufil Rozani (2 for 28) helped the Kurla team reduce Swami Vivekanand International School (Kandivli) to 148-6 on Day Two of the Harris Shield final at Bombay Gymkhana yesterday. Resuming on their overnight score of 271-6, Al-Barkaat lost skipper Harsh Mogaveera after he was caught behind by wicket-keeper Anubhav Sharma off a Saksham Rawat delivery. Harsh scored a paltry four runs.

Al-Barkaat's Naufil Rozani (left) and Saud Mansoori at Bombay Gym yesterday. Pic/Binaisha M Surti

Hammad along with the in -form Himanshu Singh then took the SVIS bowling attack to the cleaners. The duo rotated the strike well and smashed the loose deliveries to the fence. They stitched a 63-run stand for the eighth wicket. Hammad was the first to depart after he misjudged the length of a Niel Patade delivery and ended up being clean bowled on 24. Al-Barkaat were 344-8 in 116.6 overs.

Gritty Himanshu
However, Himanshu continued his attacking approach and scored a gritty 91-ball 63, an innings that was laced with nine boundaries. He departed after he was caught at midwicket by Aditya Hake. Saud Mansoori (14) was unable to add to his side's total as Saksham Rawat held on to a good catch at mid-on. Al-Barkaat posted a fighting first innings total of 374 in 128.5 overs. For Swami Vivekanand, leg-spinner Niel picked a fifer and ended up with figures of 5-88 in his 28.5 over-spell, while off-spinner Nishant Kadam picked 2 for 80. In reply, SVIS found themselves in serious trouble after losing opener Rishi Bhosle for a duck. Anubhav Sharma was bowled after adding just 17. Supresh Mugade perished for one after he was caught behind by 'keeper Adil Khan. Swami Vivekanand were reeling at 32-3 in 11.2 overs. Rithik Jain could not resurrect his side after Naufil Rozani took a great catch off his own bowling.

Crisis at tea
Nishant Kadam looked to steady the ship, but ended up getting caught in the covers by Ibrahim Khan off a Saud delivery. At tea, SVIS were 62-5 in 24 overs. The last session had drama written all over it. Prateek Gond was dropped on 10 by Ibrahim at covers. The dropped catch did not prove costly as Gond departed on 16 by Atharva Nigre, who took a brilliant catch, diving to his left in the slips. Swami Vivekanand finished the day with 148-6 in 52 overs.
Skipper Rishi Shah remained unbeaten on 60, while Niel was 10 not out.

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