MSSA U-16 Cricket: Sanika Chalke's 101 out of team's 135

Sanika Chalke of RR Educational Trust en route her 101 against Chatrabhuj Narsee Memorial School yesterday. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Sanika Chalke's all-round performance helped RR Educational Trust School (Mulund) register a dominating 100-run win over Chatrabhuj Narsee Memorial School (Vile Parle) in the Mumbai Schools Sports Association-organised late Manoramabai Apte U-16 girls cricket tournament at Islam Gymkhana yesterday.Sanika smashed 101 runs off 69 balls (20x4) and then returned to claim six wickets for 18 runs with her leg spinners.

Interestingly, besides Sanika's 101, the remaining 34 runs of the Mulund team's total of 135-2 off the stipulated 15 overs, came in the form of extras. Sanika first stitched a 39-run opening partnership with Palak Dharamshi (0) and then added another 96 runs for the second wicket with Mahek Gupta (0 not out), before being trapped leg before by right-arm pacer Mitanshi Mehta (2-26) off the last ball of the innings.

In reply, the Vile Parle outfit struggled against Sanika's leg-spin. And she, along with right-arm pacer Palak (4-16) bundled out the opposition for 35 in 11.3 overs. Saniya Patel top-scored for the Vile Parle team with eight runs. This is Sanika's highest score in an all-girls match. Her previous best is a 70 in a practice match against a boys team. She overjoyted with the win yesterday and explained her strategy. "I'm delighted to score my first century. The plan was to retain the strike by taking singles off the last balls of every over.

"Then, I capitalised on the loose deliveries by hitting boundaries. It was a great feeling because I timed the ball well," Sanika told mid-day yesterday. Earlier in another match, St Francis Xavier High School (Kanjurmarg) thrashed SM Shetty High School (Powai) by 10 wickets. Batting first, the Powai side were bowled out for 39 runs in 12.5 overs with Shrushti Naik taking 3-9).

The Kanjurmarg outfit then comfortably chased down the target in 6.2 overs without losing any wicket. Nivya and Sakshi Salkar remained unbeaten on 15 and six runs respectively.
Inputs from Subodh Mayure

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