Skipper Sidak Singh on song in Giles Shield semi-final

Rizvi tweaker Sidak Singh played the skipper's role to perfection as his all-round performance helped the Bandra team reach the final of the Giles Shield Elite Division fifth time in a row. They defeated Don Bosco (Matunga) by virtue of a first innings lead of 403 runs at Cross Maidan yesterday.


Sidak Singh at the Cross Maidan
yesterday. Pic/Shadab Khan

Sidak stole the show with an unbeaten 216 as they declared their first innings at 553-7. His unbeaten knock included 30 boundaries. Sidak was ably supported by Prakhar Gupta, who made 61. Later, his seven wicket haul saw the Matunga team being bundled out for 150 runs. Don Bosco skipper Bhupen Lalwani waged a lone battle as he scored 78 runs.

Sidak claimed that it was personally the most satisfying day for him. "The wicket was a bit dusty, and there was lot of turn. We had decided to score 500 plus runs before declaring. We obviously were looking to bowl them out, but I had a tiring yet satisfying day. I couldn't have asked for a better win," said Sidak, who has scalped 40 wickets so far in the tournament.u00a0

In the other semi-final at Oval Maidan, V N Sule Guruji are leading by a run against Hansraj Morarji and were 195-7 at the end of the day's play. Vaishnav Narvekar (unbeaten 86) was the highest run-getter for Sule Guruji.