HAVERFORD, Pa. -  Superb batting by first years Mohanish Bajaj and Sidd Phatak saw the Fords to an 11-runs victory on Saturday at Cope Field.  Not only was the pair's unbeaten stand of 170 enough to best Merion, the partnership was the highest ever produced at Haverford in a 20-over match. 

Haverford would bat first, with Bajaj joining Senior Simon Babb at the crease. After a quick wicket left Haverford 1-0 in the first over, Haverford appeared in a spot of trouble. Phatak came in at three, and announced his intentions immediately, smashing the third ball he faced straight over long on for a six.  

Merion had no response for the technical ability showed by the two batsmen.  Phatak showed an affinity for clearing the boundary with his straight drives, smashing 3 sixes, most of which landed in the trees, in addition to 3 fours as well. His innings of 71* off 55 was his personal best and equaled the highest score by a Haverford batsman in the 21-22 academic year.  

Bajaj showcased his classical straight bat defense during his innings while sprinkling in multiple sweep shots as well as a few drives of his own. Bajaj easily found the boundary 5 times in his innings, all for 4. Bajaj anchored the Fords innings with a watchful 52* off 54. Fluent stroke play was displayed by both batsmen in this partnership of 170 runs.

Eugene Yang would later share the new ball with Senior Gulesh Shukla. Yang's nasty inswinger bowled Merion's opener, who is a very good player in the local league, and in his second over Yang got another wicket when Shukla took an excellent catch in the covers.

Haverford had to wait until after the power play for their next wickets. The introduction of the spin twins, however, would prove Merion's undoing. Bajaj's leg spin and Deep Patel's off spin would beguile the Merion Batsman. Bajaj would dismiss the other opening batsman in his first over.  Patel would take one in his first over and another in his second. The first wicket was thanks to a difficult catch by Nathaniel Moore in the deep while the second wicket was thanks to Patel's quick reflexes, catching a ball smashed hard back to him. Patel's figures of 2-26 were a career best for him. 

Merion stopped the pre-drinks hemorrhage of wickets produced by the spin twins, going to the 18th over without the loss of a wicket. The reintroduction of Bajaj would start the hemorrhage anew. After going for 10 in the first two deliveries, Merion needed a tough but attainable 41 off 16 deliveries. Bajaj's next two deliveries, however, sealed Merion's fate, taking two in two, including another difficult catch in the deep, this time into the safe hands of Eugene Yang.  

Thanks to the record breaking batting of Phatak and Bajaj, Haverford's total was ungettable, with a final score-line of 170-1 to 159-6.