The third day of the USAC 2024 – Men’s National Championship at Woodley Park showcased a mix of impressive victories and nail-biting finishes. Southwest delivered a remarkable performance against South, winning by a staggering 160 runs, thanks to outstanding contributions from Sushant Modani and Shayan Jahangir. In a closely contested match, East narrowly defeated Blue by 10 runs, demonstrating their bowling strength in high-pressure situations. Meanwhile, Red secured a convincing 58-run victory over MidWest, underlining their well-rounded capabilities. Mid Atlantic triumphed over West by 4 wickets, propelled by key partnerships and disciplined bowling strategies.
In an impressive display, Southwest secured a dominant 160-run win over South at Woodley Park – Marder. After winning the toss, Southwest elected to bat first, amassing a formidable score of 349/6 in their designated 45 overs.
Opening batsman Sushant Modani spearheaded the innings with a remarkable 138 runs off 115 balls, including 13 fours and two sixes. He received robust support from captain Shayan Jahangir, who scored a quickfire 104 off just 73 deliveries, featuring 10 fours and six sixes at a striking strike rate of 142.47. Their stellar 235-run opening partnership was pivotal in laying the groundwork for the team’s lofty total. On South’s side, Aditya Padala made his mark with the ball, capturing 3 wickets for 42 runs.
Chasing down the target, South struggled early on and could not gain momentum against Southwest’s disciplined bowling attack. Rushil Ugarkar emerged as the standout bowler, taking 4 wickets for a mere 29 runs in his 9 overs, while Ali Sheikh contributed significantly with figures of 3/32. Rohan Phadke was South’s top scorer, managing a gritty 49 runs, but the lack of substantial contributions from other batters ultimately led to their defeat as they finished with 189/9 in their 45 overs.
Southwest’s comprehensive performance is a strong indicator of their title ambitions, with Modani and Jahangir leading the batting, while Ugarkar excelled with the ball.
Red achieved a commanding 58-run victory over MidWest at Woodley Park – Wright. Their all-round performance was key to securing a vital win while defending a challenging target of 240.
Choosing to bat first, Red set a solid total of 239/8 in their allotted overs. After a rocky start that saw them at 25/3, contributions from the middle order steadied the innings. Abinav Sudershanum held the innings together with 52 runs off 51 balls, while Shuaib Syed made an impressive 67 off 64 balls. A late partnership between Syed and Arya Garg (33* off 29) significantly boosted Red’s score. Despite MidWest’s bowlers, particularly Tirth Patel (2/27) and Ferhan Ali (2/41), maintaining pressure, they struggled to contain the runs in the final overs, with extras accounting for a considerable 40 runs of Red’s total.
In reply, MidWest faced an uphill battle, losing their first three batters within the first 9 overs for just 25 runs. Bhavya Mehta (22) and Parth Patel (22) attempted to rebuild, but Red’s bowlers consistently broke partnerships. Rayhan Ahmed offered some resilience with a brisk 57 off 46 balls, featuring eight boundaries and two sixes, but his dismissal in the 37th over dashed MidWest’s hopes. Rishi Ramesh shone with the ball for Red, returning figures of 3/43, while Varun Mantha (2/30) and Syed (2/33) also backed him up effectively.
MidWest’s innings ended at 181/9, leaving them 58 runs short of their target. Red’s disciplined bowling and essential batting partnerships were crucial in clinching this win.
In an exhilarating match at Woodley Park – Severn, East narrowly triumphed over Blue by 10 runs. Despite posting a modest total of 204 in their first innings, East’s bowlers excelled in defending it, limiting Blue to 194/9 in a tense finish.
Batting first after Blue won the toss and opted to field, East’s innings was built around Akeem Dodson’s composed 64 runs off 88 balls, coupled with support from Tanveer Ahmed (20) and a brisk 53 off 47 balls from Achilles Browne. However, East’s innings lost momentum as Sohan Bhat wreaked havoc, claiming an impressive 5/27. The contributions from Nimish Bachu (3/36) and Earl Henningham (4/30) also played a notable role in restricting East to a below-par score.
In their chase of 205, Blue embarked cautiously, with opener Abhinav Sikharam making a steady 67 off 102 balls. He received support from Siddarth Kappa, who scored 58 off 88. However, as the innings progressed, East’s bowlers ramped up their intensity. Henningham excelled with 4/30, while Rahim Dipu (2/39) and Gajanand Singh (2/45) ensured that Blue’s middle and lower order succumbed to pressure. Needing 11 runs from the final over, Blue fell short, as Dipu came through with a pivotal performance, taking two wickets in consecutive deliveries.
Extras played a notable role in both teams’ innings, with Blue conceding 25 and East 17, highlighting the importance of discipline. Ultimately, East’s tenacity and bowling depth were decisive in securing a memorable win.
Mid Atlantic achieved a hard-fought 4-wicket victory against West at Woodley Park – Wong. Chasing a target of 184, Mid Atlantic successfully reached the score in 41.1 overs, showcasing their determination under pressure.
Opting to bowl first, Mid Atlantic limited West to a total of 183 in 42.2 overs. West’s innings featured a resilient 63 off 76 balls from opener Zahid Zakhil, with four boundaries and three sixes. Skanda Rohit Sharma added a quick 39 off 47 balls, while captain Rahul Jariwala contributed 19. Nonetheless, Mid Atlantic bowlers delivered consistent breakthroughs, with Manoj Acharya (3/32), Stephen Wiig (2/26), and Yasir Mohammed (2/35) effectively restricting the scoring. West struggled as seven players failed to reach double figures, with extras contributing a meager six runs to their innings total.
In their chase, Mid Atlantic began steadily, with Prannav Chettipalayam (23) and Ritwik Behera (32) providing a solid start. Kunwarjeet Singh anchored the innings with a patient 53 runs off 86 balls, supported by skipper Sai Teja Mukmulla (15). As the middle order started to waver, Danesh Patel’s quick 37 off 36 balls pushed Mid Atlantic to victory. Although West’s bowlers, particularly Saurabh Netravalkar (1/20) and Sanjay Krishnamurthi (2/22), bowled economically, they were unable to defend the modest target.
Mid Atlantic’s effective bowling and crucial partnerships helped them secure the win with 29 balls to spare.
Image Source: Sushant Modani @ Instagram
