Rising Student Club 267/7 in 50 overs (Abinash Nayak 81, Alok Sahoo 50, Saurabh 3/40) beat Union Sporting Club 152 in 40.4 overs (Niranjan Behra 65, Biplab Samantray 6/23, Deepakeanjan Behera 2/17) by 115 runs.
For the Union Sporting Club, they had to chase down 268 runs to register their name on the trophy. Target was not an ungettable one but keeping in mind the pressure of final, it was always going to be tough task for the chasing side.
As the second innings commenced, Jyotiranjan and Nayak were going all good before the fifth over when former was back into pavillion after scoring mere 7 runs. Soon Nayak also departed in the very next over and it was then when they started losing grip, in fact they were too slow in the batting, by the end of 20 overs, Union Sporting Club were 71 for the loss of four wickets (remember they were chasing 268). Then there was a partnership of 71 runs for the fifth wicket between Behra and Akram, but they needed more runs to get the recovery done as they were chasing a target of 268 runs. As the innings proceeded further, they kept losing wickets, and as soon as Behra was dismissed in 37th over, all hopes of Union Sporting Club were also vanished. Samantray and co. really bowled well with accuracies and discipline, specially Samantray himself, was exceptionally excellent. He took 6 for 23 in 6.4 overs which contained a maiden over as well, Behera also did his job to full as he took a couple, his figures read 2/17 in 6 overs. At last Union Sporting Club were bowled out for 152 runs, and Rising Student Club won the Inter Club Tournament by 115 runs.
Rising Student Club were invited to bat first, Dhuper was dismissed in the first over but Sahoo and Nayak batted and re-constructed the innings to add 113 runs for the second wicket. After Sahoo was gone in the 23rd over, there was a slight batting collapse in the next 20 overs. Towards the end of innigns, Ray's short innings of 25 runs and Barik's stay of 38 runs took Rising Student Club to a formidable total of 268 runs in 50 overs. They were 7 down for 209 runs by the 43rd over, but the duo added 59 runs for the eighth wicket and made sure they get to a good total. From the bowling side, Saurabh and Jyotiranjan were pick of the bowlers with both taking three wickets each, Asish Rai also took a wicket.
It was Union Sporting Club's decision to bowl first and they did well until the 43rd over when things changed drastically for them. Rising Student Club showed great approach in their bowling, they knew wickets will put pressure on the chasing side. Now, Inter Club Tournament has been concluded, it has been a series to remember, the matches played were great and thrill, let's wait what happens in the next season, till then, goodbye!
