Manish helps FCI lift JP Atray trophy

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 15 

An all-round effort by Manish Tehlan helped FCI Delhi beat Minerva Academy by three wickets in a rain-truncated final and lift the 24th All India JP Atray Memorial Cricket Trophy here on Friday. 

Electing to bat at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 26, Minerva were all out for 202 runs after the match was reduced to 40 overs a side due to rain.  

Minerva had a poor start to their innings as Rajiender Bisht claimed Prabhjot (4), Raghav Sharma (7), Uday Kaul (23) and Jeevanjot (6) in quick succession to reduce the side to 26/4. 

Gaurav Puri tried to take the fight to FCI but his effort was cut short by Manish Tehlan. Puri hit 35 runs off 25 balls before holding out to Shivang Vashisht. 

Gurkirat Mann and Barinder Sran batted sensibly and added 74 runs for the sixth wicket before Tehlan struck again for FCI. Sran was caught by A Bhardwaj after hitting 40-ball 46. 

Abhishek Gupta did not last long. The wicketkeeper batsman was dismissed by Mayank Malhotra on 14. 

Mann, who looked in good touch at the other end, eventually fell to Malhotra on 54 as Minerva folded up their innings on 202 runs in 38.3 over. His 59-ball stay in the middle was studded with two boundaries and a six. 

Bisht was the pick of the bowlers for FCI, claiming 4/37. Tehlan (2/48) and Malhotra (2/16) took two wickets each. 

Needing to score just over five runs per over for victory, FCI lost opener Chetan Sharma early. He was caught by Vinay Chaudhary off Gurvider Bhullar on 13. 

Ayush Bhardwaj and Tehlan, however, batted with purpose and took 

the total to 87 runs before Yadwinder broke the 

66-run partnership between the two.   

Bhardwaj was caught and bowled by Yadwinder (44) just when the rain interrupted the play. 

When play resumed, FCI were set a revised target of 172 runs in 30 overs. 

Tehlan and Umang Sharma added 46 runs for the third wicket and took the score to 133 before the latter was caught in the deep by substitute Anil of Gurkirat Mann on 23.

Rajinder Bisht was run out by Gurvinder Bhullar on 11, while Manish Sehrawat fell to left-arm pacer Barinder Sran on two. 

Bhullar then claimed Shivam Gupta (0) and Shivang Vashisht (0) to reduce FCI to 156/7 in 28.4 overs. 

Needing 16 runs from eight balls, Jashanpreet hit a six to ease out the pressure before Tehlan steered the side home on the third ball of the final over. 

Tehlan remained unbeaten on 67 and was adjudged Man of the Match.

FCI’s Ayush Bhardwaj, who amassed 237 runs in the tournament, was adjudged the Best Batsman while his teammate Manish Sehrawat was declared the Best Bowler. He claimed 15 wickets in the championship. Sharad Lumba of BTM Warriors was adjudged Man of the Series for scoring 288 runs.  

Earlier in the day, players and officials observed a two-minute silence in memory of the CRPF jawans who lost their lives in the terrorist attack in Pulwama on Thursday.