Mangalore Warriors Clinch Match, Chris Cairns Wins Hearts
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
Mangalore, Feb 25: Former New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns has played against the best sides in the world, but he would have little expected a Mangalorean team to blow away his team, and not by a small margin.
The Dix Group DKCA Mangalore Warriors did exactly that against Coastal Digest Chris Cairns XI by beating the latter by 83 runs in a charity T20 match at the NMPT cricket stadium here on Friday February 25.
Batting first, Mangalore Warriors put up a decent score of 262 runs at the loss of just three wickets. Man-of-the-match Ashreen's superb performance with the bat saw him make a blistering 96, with excellent support from Nihal (79) who went beserk at the end, smashing four consecutive sixes in a single over. Nithish Raj (29) and skipper Daniel Sequeira (31) also chipped in with some useful runs.
In reply, Chris Cairns XI began their run chase cautiously, and failed to rise to the occasion as one by one the top order batsmen returned to the pavilion. However, Chris Cairns did not disappoint the expectant crowds who had gathered to watch the star live in action. But he could do little to save his side, and despite his 69 runs, the team had to bow down before a dangerous Mangalore Warriors bowling attack. Chris Cairns' team could put together only 179 on the board for the loss of 6 wickets in the stipulated overs. Nathan Ashley (51) scored a half century while Marc Archer (44) narrowly missed it.
Marc Archer of Chris Cairns XI was adjudged best batsman while Daniel Sequeira of Mangalore Warriors won the best bowler award.
Speaking on the occasion, Chris Cairn congratulated the winning team and applauded their efforts.
Joseph Rego, head of the Chris Cairns Foundation, Dr Shrikanth Rai, president, Dakshina Kannada Cricket Association, Dr M R Shetty, secretary and executive officer of Dr M V Shetty Memorial Trust, Sanjay Rao, managing director, Maruti Suzuki Mandovi, Mangalore, Arjun Pinto, president of Round Table, Muhammad Sharief, administrative manager of Coastal Digest, among others were present.