American Cricket Champions League
In Phoenix yesterday, the Arizona Scorpions defeated Southern California by 153 runs. Due to heat well in excess of 100°, the match was shortened to thirty overs and the teams played in white, rather than their standard colors.
ACA’s Sid Dutta led all scorers with 79* including a six and five boundaries, while Arizona opening batsman Ajay Bhatia rushed to 54, using nine boundaries to reach his total in just 31 balls. Scorpions captain Gopi Boinepally chipped in three sixes and two boundaries, finishing with a snappy 43*.
The star with the ball was Arizona’s Sumit Narsale, who collected six SCCA wickets at the expense of only 25 runs in just five overs. Rauf Mohammed contributed as well, taking 2/21 in his four overs.
Boinepally won the toss and elected to bat on a very warm day and was rewarded for his decision as his openers piled on 76 runs before losing the first wicket in the ninth over, with Bhatia doing much of the damage. Dutta entered on the first wicket down and, after Bhatia was bowled in the 11th over, and carried the Scorpions through the rest of their innings.
After the break, SCCA skipper and opener Rodney Cutting seemed to be set for a big innings, reaching 32 runs in the first eight overs. Cutting was undone, however, when playing the first ball of the ninth over, as he holed out to Boinepally off Sourav Sarkar. This proved to be a devastating loss for the Californians, who lost three more wickets while adding only 22 runs.
Playing from behind did not suit the SCCA, as they survived just into the 22nd over, being all out for 105.
With the win, Arizona picks up the Southwest Division’s first three points and sits alone in first place. The Scorpions will host Orange County on May 31, while SCCA looks forward to payback at home on June 15, when Arizona comes calling at Woodley.
