Depleted IOCL bundled out for 204

MUMBAI: With five of their top-order batsmen - Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara away on national duty and Wasim Jaffer and Siddhesh Lad lost to injuries - Indian Oil Corporation Ltd quite literally struggled to field a playing XI against Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd in the semifinal of the Times Shield (A Division) at the Parsee Gymkhana on Tuesday.
Their woes were further compounded when skipper Aditya Tare sustained a groin injury while batting and was forced to retire after five overs.
As a consequence, IOCL were dismissed for a meagre 204 on Day One of the three-day affair and at close, BPCL were comfortably placed at 60 for 1.
"I was nursing an injury even before the match could start. But because we didn't have enough players, I decided to take the field," Tare told ToI after the match and added: "But the move clearly backfired. I had to return to the pavilion. I simply couldn't run between the wickets."
Tare's agony didn't end with his decision to retire hurt. The skipper, who spent most of the day with an icepack, was forced to do 12man duties, like running with liquids or helmets for close in fielders as IOCL didn't have the luxury of reserve players.
On the other hand, BPCL too, were without the services of all-rounder Abhishek Nayar. On the match front, BPCL's Avishkar Salvi was the pick of bowlers, registering figures of 4-60. For IOCL, Abbas Ali (58) and Rohan Raje (38) contributed well.
Dubli's 8-82 goes in vain:
Shailesh Dubli took eight for 82 but his effort couldn't prevent a 20-run defeat for Shinrai Toyota SC at the hands of Routesms Solution, in a Times Shield 'D' Division (1&1/2 day Knock-out 70 overs-a-side) match.