National Cricket Academy surge into quarters
The National Cricket Academy today marched into the quarterfinal of the MRF-Buchi Babu all India invitation tournament in Madras by virtue of its 143-run first innings lead over Air India
Sankhya Krishnan
18-Aug-2000
The National Cricket Academy today marched into the quarterfinal of the
MRF-Buchi Babu all India invitation tournament in Madras by virtue of its
143-run first innings lead over Air India. The game was called off at the
end of the NCA innings by the mutual consent of both captains, Reetinder
Sodhi and Pravin Amre.
Resuming at the Guru Nanak College Ground on their overnight score of
124/1, NCA lost Gautam Gambhir for 69 in the sixth over of the day. Mohd.
Kaif and Shiv Sunder Das then added a further 59 before the Orissa opener
was agonisingly dismissed six runs short of his hundred. His 94 had taken
197 deliveries and included twelve boundaries.
Yuvraj Singh indulged in some lusty hitting to swiftly compile 39 from 36
balls before he was dismissed at 267 by off spinner Dheeraj Jadhav. Two
runs later Reetinder Sodhi disappointed by falling to his namesake
Harvinder Sodhi for a fourth ball duck. In his next over Sodhi also saw the
back of wicketkeeper Rohit Jhalani, trapped leg before for one. Kaif and
Romesh Powar proceeded to take NCA past Air India's first innings total of
277 during a 64 run stand before the former gave the charge to left arm
spinner Niraj Patel and was stumped for 65 (155 balls, 4 fours and a six).
Mumbai all rounder Powar made a blistering 68 in an hour and a quarter,
inclusive of seven rasping hits to the fence. After he gave Patel his
second wicket at 371, the innings proceeded in a desultory manner with both
sides having agreed to call off the match at tea. NCA coach Roger Binny was
busy making notes on his wards from a vantage perch on the first floor of
the dressing room.
The affair was brought to a merciful end when last man Rakesh Dhruv was
castled by Jadhav for 18 to terminate the Academy innings in the 107th
over. Patel and Sodhi both bagged three wickets apiece for the losers. NCA
now go through to a quarterfinal game against Karnataka beginning August 24
at the Central Polytechnic - India Pistons ground.