Daijiworld Media Network - Muscat (SP)

Muscat, Aug 17:  Strike Force Cricketers had organized ‘Mullappanthal Champions Trophy - 2009' featuring 38 cricket teams from Muscat region, on the seventh and 14th of this month, at Al Khuwair Ground, Muscat.  Royal Challengers Mangalore, a team comprising of people of Mangalore origin, was placed second in the championship.  The team was organized by Girish Kachan and managed by Lokanath Malpe.

The tournament was held on two consecutive Fridays. Top 38 teams from Muscat participated in the tournament. Royal Challengers Mangalore could overcome the challenges posed by top teams from pool, like Ruwi Boys, Coastal Cricketers, Ruwi XI in the initial stages and in the semifinal, the Baladiya XI.

The final match was played between Royal Challengers Mangalore and Muscat Beach. Toss was won by Muscat Beach team, which elected to bat first. That team made a mammoth score of 78 for five wickets in the allotted eight overs. In Reply, Royal Challengers Mangalore could score only 41 in eight overs. The challenge was too formidable for Royal Challengers Mangalore to achieve, and even though the boys fought hard, they could not achieve the goal of annexing the trophy.

Girish Kanchan, Lokanath, Ravindra, Harish,  Sandeep, Girish T, Sujith J K, Deepak, Hameed, Iqbal, Anand, Manoj, Zameer, Farid, Girish S, Rupesh and Hency were the players of Royal Challengers team.