Balaji stars again as final hangs in the balance

The second day of the Coromandel Cement Cup final saw mediumpacer L Balaji steal the limelight once more. The Maharaja Jayachamrajendra Wodayar Sports Centre (2) played host to the clash between Chemplast from Chennai and Roofit XI from Mumbai. Starting the day on 67/1 in their first innings in reply to Roofit's 263, Chemplast fell behind by 13 runs. They however hit back by restricting Roofit XI to 143/8 in their second knock.

Sujith Somasunder was unable to add to his overnight score of 35 and fell soon after play began on the second day. S Badrinath (44) helped nudge the score along, but it was the batting of J Hariesh and Adithya Srikkanth that saved the day for Chemplast. Hariesh made 46 from 117 balls while Aditya played a vital hand. Coming in at number six, the left hander made 50 (96 balls, 5 fours), the top score of the innings. In the 87th over of the day, Chemplast were dismissed for 250, with Anand Yalvigi (3/31) being the pick of the bowlers.

The real fireworks came however when Roofit XI began their second innings. Chemplast's hero with the ball in the first innings, Balaji, rocked the Roofit XI boat in the second essay as well, picking up 5/45. The young Tamil Nadu mediumpacer now has twelve wickets in the match, having bagged 7/73 in the first innings. Baroda opener Satyajit Parab was Balaji's first victim, falling in the first over for a duck.

Altaf Merchant (23) and skipper Jatin Paranjpe (12) followed in quick succession and the Roofit XI side were in all manner of strife at 52/3. Yalvigi and Kiran Powar attempted a revival, putting together 52 for the fourth wicket. Following the wicket of Yalvigi at 102, wickets began to fall at regular intervals. Hrishikesh Kanitkar was run out before he could trouble the scorers, Parthiv Patel was trapped lbw for nought and Roofit XI were in total disarray. Off the last ball of the day, Balaji trapped Kiran Adhav in front of the stumps with the score on 143 and the mediumpacer had his five wicket bag.

Roofit XI now have an overall lead of 156 runs with two wickets in hand and 11 second innings overs left to be bowled. It must be said that Chemplast have given themselves a chance while Roofit XI are still very much in the running for the title as well.