Skipper Renjith Mani reveals the recipe behind CSS Group’s three consecutive victories in the Bukhatir League

By K.R. Nayar 

Sharjah. Consolidated Shipping Service (CSS) Group registered their third consecutive victory through a 26-run win over the formidable UAE Kings XI in the 49th Bukhatir League at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday. They lived up to their name through a consolidated effort, starting with fine knocks from Krishna Chandran Karate (88) and contributions from Albin Alias (30), Safeer Tariq (38), Danish Sarhadi (26), and an all-round show from Haidar Razzaq (46 and a spell of 2 for 43), inspired and guided by their skipper Renjith Mani (3 for 44).

Haidar Razzaq receives the Player of the Match award from Match Referee Tehseen Javed 

Electing to bat, CSS Group posted 258 in 43 overs and restricted Kings XI to 232 in 48.5 overs despite MD Shahdad, who is in tremendous form and fresh from a knock of 192 against Macwise Titans, top-scoring with 69 runs. CSS had won the opening match against defending champions Colatta Chocolates and then also beat Titans.

Haider Razzaq with the Player of the Match award. Click cricketlovers.com for extensive coverage of the 49th Bukhatir League 

Speaking about the victories, Mani, who is among the most prolific performers in the Bukhatir League and has always led from the front as an all-rounder, said: “It was a very important match, as we needed to win to reach the semifinals. Krishna Karate played a solid innings at a crucial time and built strong partnerships with Safeer Tariq and Danish Sarhadi. Our young all-rounder Haider Razzaq played an excellent quick knock of 45 runs, helping us post a fighting total. He also took key wickets and delivered a great all-round performance. All our bowlers did a fantastic job, and the fielding was outstanding.”

CSS skipper Renjith Mani 

So when asked if there is a recipe behind three successive victories, Mani said: “Everyone contributes and there is continuous good team effort.” CSS’s innings was a reflection of Mani’s statement, as for the first time, their openers—including Mani—failed, but those who followed wiped away the setback. Ankur, who bowled brilliantly for Kings XI and bagged four wickets for 43, began his spell by trapping Mani leg before for 5 in the second over. He also removed opener Abhiram Hrithwik leg before for 2.

In walked Krishna Chandran, fresh from his unbeaten 96 against Titans. He took his time to settle down, consuming 12 balls to open his account. After he hit Faisal Altaf for a boundary, there was no stopping him. His partner and one-down, Albin Alias, began to hit out and scored two sixes off Ankur. In the 13th over, Altaf struck to clean bowl Albin for 30. His 33-ball knock had three boundaries and two sixes. Chandran and Albin put on 49 runs for the third wicket.

Krishna Chandran Karate.. another match winning knock 

Next batter Safeer Tariq maintained the run flow and even hit Zaffir Yain for two successive boundaries in the 18th over. Chandran and Tariq steered the total past the 100-run mark in the 19th over. Nawodya Wijayakumara got hit for two successive boundaries by Chandran, who moved from strength to strength. Chandran reached his half-century off 56 balls. Tariq too looked set for a big knock when Nav Pabreja had him caught behind by wicketkeeper Tanish Suri for 38. His run-a-ball knock included four boundaries and added 74 runs for the fourth wicket.

Ankur bagged his third wicket by clean bowling Rojith KG for 1. With half the side back in the pavilion for 133, Danish joined Chandran and swelled the total to 190. In the 35th over, Shahdad trapped Danish leg before for 26. Haidar Razzaq began by hitting Zaffir Yasin for a six. Chandran, who had hit the third delivery of Shahdad’s 37th over for another six, got trapped leg before to the next delivery—12 runs short of his century.

Though Shubham was run out by a Pabreja throw for 1, Razzaq hit Shahdad for two consecutive sixes. Ankur claimed his fourth wicket by getting Gihan Chathuranga caught behind for 4. Razzaq thrashed Ankur’s first three deliveries of the 42nd over for a boundary and two sixes. Nipin Babu and Razzaq added 30 runs for the last wicket, which turned out to be crucial as CSS’s margin of victory was 26 runs. Pabreja trapped Babu leg before for 5, and Razzaq returned to the pavilion unconquered on 46 off 20 balls with two boundaries and five sixes.

Chasing CSS’s gettable target of 259, opener Tanish Suri was caught by Babu off Mohammad Umar for 8 in the third over. Shahdad, in his usual style, began aggressively and hit Umar for two continuous boundaries. Khalid Shah once again started promisingly, hitting Razzaq for two boundaries and a six in the fourth over. The score went past the 50-mark in a flash after Shahdad hit Umar for two consecutive boundaries off the first two deliveries and also the last two balls of the fifth over.

In the eighth over, Razzaq struck a vital blow by having Shah caught by Mani for 18. Wijayakumara and Shahdad moved towards the target steadily. The bowling and fielding were so tight that there were hardly any boundaries for long periods. Shahdad reached his half-century in 46 balls through a boundary off Umar. The score went past the 100-run mark in the 19th over.

MD Shahdad... yet another fine knock 

At the score of 128, Mani provided the breakthrough by getting Wijayakumara caught by substitute Vishnuraj for 28 in the 25th over. He also went on to remove the dangerous Shahdad, caught by Rojith for 69 in the 27th over. When Mani also got Danish Ahmad caught by Babu for 6 in the 29th over, the match began to tilt in favour of CSS.

Babu trapped Abdur Rahim Raja for 5 and also had Ankur caught by Mani for 3. Jawo and Bazil Asim fought hard to lift the team out of trouble. They put on 47 runs for the eighth wicket when Razzaq had Jawo caught and bowled for 19.

Faisal Altaf hit Gihan Chathuranga for two successive boundaries off the first and second balls of the 49th over, but Asim, on 36, fell to the fourth ball—caught by Krishna Chandran. Asim’s 45-ball knock included two boundaries. With the next ball, Chathuranga clean bowled Pabreja to bowl out Kings XI for 232. Altaf remained unbeaten with a run-a-ball 28, including four boundaries.

Brief scores:
CSS Group bt UAE Kings XI by 26 runs.  CSS Group 258 in  43 overs (Albin Alias 30, Krishna Chandran 88, Safeer Tariq 38, Danish Sarhadi 26, Haidar Razzaq 46n.o, Nav Pabreja 2 for 37, Ankur 4 for 43, MD Shahdad 2 for 64) UAE Kings XI 232 in 48.5 overs (MD Shahdad 69, Nawodya  Wijayakumara 28, Bazil Asim 36, Faisal Altaf 28n.o, Haidar Razzaq 2 for 43, Nipin Babu 2 for 24, Gihan Chathuranga 2 for 33, Renjith Mani 3 for 44)
Player of the Match: Haidar Razzaq