Super League: Match 1

Pegasus pummeled

Dailystarnews.com - Sports Reporter

Title-aspirants Victoria Sporting Club made a confident start to their 'super six' campaign of the GrameenPhone Premier Division Cricket League with a 58-run win over promotees Young Pegasus at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

In-form opener Al-Shahriar smashed a solid 83 to help the first round leaders post a fighting 237 all out in 48.5 overs. The right-handed stroke-maker smote one six and nine four off the 100 balls he faced after Victoria elected to bat first in the inaugural match of the 'super six'.

It was Victoria's eleventh win from 12 matches that kept atop the six-team table with highest 22 points. On the other hand, Pegasus tasted their sixth defeat against as many wins yesterday.

Victoria's Kenyan signing Thomas Odoyo and Alok Kapali threw a spanner in the Pegasus chase. The two evenly shared six wickets among them to bowl them out for 179 in 49.2 overs.

Playing his first match in the league Odoyo finished his six-over first spell with three for 14.

Coming in as a first change bowler, with Victoria on 29 for no loss after nine overs, the medium pacer sent Sabbir (19) and Humayun (6) to the pavilion in his first over. He then dismissed one down Shamimul (7) to reduce Pegasus reeling on 40 for three.

Leg-spinner Alok Kapali was however little expensive with figures of 10-0-41-3.

Odoyo however could not shine with bat as he got out for only 9 runs. The big bowling all-rounder came out of the crease in a bid to send off-spinner Mahbub out of the park, but missed the line completely, only to be stumped by Shamimul.

Al-Shariar however seized the spotlight with his trademark attacking batting. Together with one-down Jahangir Alam (26), Al-Shahriar dominated a 116-run stand after Victoria lost their first wicket on 5.

When both the two perished in quick succession captain Khaled Mashud found a wily partner in Sajjad Ahmed to help Victoria pass the 200-mark. Mashud hit 39 and Sajjad 28.

Jamal Faisal topscored with a 78-ball 56 for the losers.