This was a proper statement win from Southgate CC — first with the ball through Santosh Shankar, and then an absolutely dominant opening partnership led by a magnificent opening batting from Mustapha Mirza and Nish Shah.
After winning the toss and choosing to field, Southgate wanted early control, and they got exactly that.
The standout bowler was Santosh Shankar, who produced an outstanding spell of 12 overs, 4 wickets for just 35 runs. He removed Krishaan Maturandas for 2, Vishal Vala for 27, Fennyl Dani for 10 and Nikesh Shantilal for 11.
What impressed most was the control. Bowling 12 overs in a limited-overs match and conceding at only 2.92 runs per over is exceptional. Whenever Friends United looked as though they might build some momentum, Santosh came back with a breakthrough.
At the other end, Arpit Katoch struck twice, removing Priyanque Caussicumar and Sarang Nitendra, while Sarfaraz Hafeji picked up two more wickets.
Friends United did have one man standing tall. Dhaval Vala played an excellent unbeaten innings of 62 from 64 balls, including nine fours and two sixes. His knock gave the innings some substance and helped Friends United reach 167.
But Southgate finished the innings strongly. Harshil Vipani needed only 1.1 overs to take two wickets, cleaning up the tail and ensuring Friends United were bowled out for 167 in 28.1 overs.
Then came the chase. And, quite simply, it was one-way traffic.
Mustapha Mirza was sensational. He attacked from the beginning, putting the bowlers under immediate pressure and never allowing Friends United to settle. Mirza raced to an unbeaten 100 from just 70 deliveries, smashing 14 fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 142.86.
This wasn't reckless hitting either. It was controlled aggression — punishing anything loose, rotating the strike and making sure the required rate was never allowed to become a factor.
Alongside him, Nish Shah played the perfect supporting innings. While Mirza attacked, Shah provided stability with an unbeaten 53 from 63 balls, hitting six boundaries. Their styles complemented each other beautifully.
The result? 168 without losing a single wicket in just 22.1 overs. No drama. No collapse. No opportunity for Friends United to get back into the contest. A 168-run unbeaten opening partnership to complete a 10-wicket victory.
The biggest positive was the completeness of the performance. Southgate took wickets regularly, restricted the opposition despite Dhaval Vala's resistance, and then chased the target without losing a wicket.
That's the kind of cricket captains love to see. Control with the ball. Ruthlessness with the bat. And a 10-wicket victory to finish it off.
Southgate 3rd XI won by 10 wickets
Scorecard