BPL seal thrilling victory over Hyderabad

BPL put it across hosts Hyderabad by two wickets in a seat edge thriller in the Moin-ud-Dowlah Cup at the AOC ground in the city today. SR Deepu had a brilliant allround game for the winners, grabbing 5/33 with the ball to shut out Hyderabad for 177 and then making an unbeaten 42 to pilot BPL home with one ball to spare.

Hyderabad elected to bat after winning the toss and a useful opening stand of 76 between Nandakishore (45) and Daniel Manohar (41) in less than 20 overs gave them a strong foundation which the later batsmen contrived to squander. After Syed Nooruddin made the initial inroads by dismissing Manohar, Deepu took over, slicing through the middle order with precision. Nooruddin also joined the party with a bag of 3/32 as Hyderabad collapsed from 113/1, losing their last nine wickets for 63.

In reply, BPL lost Nooruddin to Fiaz Ahmed in the third over and the same bowler also sent back Yere Goud to leave them at 26/2. Vinay Kumar (30) and Nitin Mulki (52) then came together in the brightest spot of the innings, adding 55 for the third wicket. Mulki and Deepu put on a further 44 for the fourth wicket before the former was run out at 125.

From there things steadily went downhill for BPL as the next three batsmen fell for ducks and they slipped to 128/7, having lost four wickets for three runs in a spectacular collapse. Deepu who had survived all the carnage got a willing partner in BN Ramesh with whom he added 37 to take BPL to the doorstep of victory. No.10 Sandeep Hebbar came out with 13 required in 15 balls and they just about squeaked home.