2021 Minor League Cricket final

The 2021 Minor League Cricket final was a Twenty20 cricket match played on 3 October 2021, at Church Street Park, Morrisville between the New Jersey Stallions and the Silicon Valley Strikers to determine the winner of the 2021 Minor League Cricket season of Minor League Cricket.^[1][2]

During the group stage of the 2021 Minor League Cricket season (MiLC) each team played 14-16 matches, two against each of the other side of its group and its neighboring group (i.e. Southern and Eastern, Central and Western). All matches took place in one of 27 venues chosen to be played in that season. The format for the group stage was a round-robin. That meant all teams would face each other at least twice. The teams needed to qualify in the top 2 of their respective groups to qualify for the play-offs. The Stallions finished 1st in their group, and the Strikers finished 2nd. Both teams won at least 10 games during the group stage, but the Stallions lost 4 with one being washed out, and the Strikers lost 3, with one washed out.^[3]

The final match was played between the New Jersey Stallions and the Silicon Valley Strikers at Church Street Park, Morrisville, North Carolina.

The New Jersey Stallions won the toss and elected to bat. In the first innings, the Stallions mustered up an opening 29-run partnership before Ramrattan was edged behind to Jariwala off a good ball from Roshon Primus. But, a 42 and 31 from Dominique Rikhi and Saiteja Mukkamalla helped it muster up a 60-run partnership to help the Stallions to 89/2, before a collapse would settle. Kulvinder Singh and Saurabh Netravalkar ripped apart the middle order, with late cameos from Stephen Wiig and Karan Patel as the Stallions folded for 141.^[4]

The Strikers' openers got off to a good start, with the first wicket falling at 28. Jariwala was caught by Wiig off Sachin Mylavarapu after bowling a wide outside-off bouncer. Strikers captain Unmukt Chand was the next to fall after smashing Rovman Powell for two sixes and one four. Shehan Jayasuriya fell soon after being run out by some good fielding from Justin Dill. Pranay Suri, the Strikers' vice-captain fell after attempting a lofted shot, ending a struggling innings of 5 from 11 deliveries. Roshon Primus joined Narsingh Deonarine at the crease and helped a 72*-run partnership to lead the Strikers to victory. Deonarine smashed 52*, with Primus chipping in with a 31*.^[4]

Notes:

• † indicates team captain
• * indicates not out

Toss: New Jersey Stallions won the toss and elected to bat.

Fall of wickets: 28/1 (Raymond Ramrattan, 3.4 ov), 89/2 (Saiteja Mukkamalla, 11.2 ov), 93/3 (Dominique Rikhi, 12.1 ov), 93/4 (Hiren Patel, 12.5 ov), 104/5 (Jon-Ross Campbell, 14.5 ov), 107/6 (Rovman Powell, 16.1 ov), 110/7 (Jasdeep Singh, 17.1 ov), 112/8 (Justin Dill, 17.3 ov), 134/9 (Stephen Wiig, 19.3), 141/10 (Sachin Mylavarapu, 19.6 ov)

Target:' 142 runs from 20 overs at 7.10 RR

Fall of wickets: 28/1 (Rahul Jariwala, 3.6 ov), 45/2 (†Unmukt Chand, 4.5 ov), 53/3 (Shehan Jayasuriya, 5.2 ov), 70/4 (Pranay Suri, 10.1 ov)

Result: Silicon Valley Strikers won by 6 wickets.