FCI all India cricket tourney: IOC makes short work of HUDCO

Pune, Mar 17 (UNI) The star-studded Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) Limited started their title defence in style posting an emphatic ten wicket win over lowly Housing Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) in the league phase of the all India Food Corporation of India limited overs cricket tournament.

After skittling out HUDCO for 71 in 26.5 overs, the IOC openers Hemant Knikiar 39 and Mithun Birale 23 hammered the requires runs and remained unseperated in the process at the Poona Club ground yesterday.

In the other opening league ties, EPFO recorded a fluent five wicket win over MTNL while BSNL beat Singreni Colleries.

As many as 14 teams, including defending champion IOC and runners-up and hosts FCI are vying for honours in the annual limited overs tournament being played on league-cum-knock out basis.

Food Corporation of India (FCI) Executive Director (West Zone) Surinder Singh formally inaugurated the tournament at the Poona Club ground.

The league ties are being played on limited 40 overs format.

Brief Scores: (Poona Club Ground) HUDCO 71 in 26.5 overs (Mukesh Kumar 14, V K Shukla 17, K Desai 4/10, Iqbal Siddiqui 2/10, Manish Patel 2/14) lost to IOC 74 for no loss in 15 overs (Hemant Kinikar 39, Mthun Birale 23) Telco Ground : MTNL147 in 37 overs ( Sanketh Parlekar 73,Rak Kapooor 2/22, Sachin Sawant 2/31, Ram Prakash 2/19, Praful Mahajan 2/27) lost to EPFO 150 for 5 in 24.5 overs (Rakesh Singh 33, Machindra Bhamre 30, Sachin Sawant 27) Yeravada Jail Ground: Singreni Colliries 114 in 36 overs (T Satyanarayanan 51, Niranjan Behre 3/11, Kamlesh Makwana 3/19 Joginder Sharma 2/17) lost to BSNL 117 for 1 in 22 overs (B B Mahapatra 43, Joginder Sharma 26) UNI IS SSS PM ND1446