Das powers NCA to first innings lead
Resuming on 182/5 on the second day of the quarterfinal of the Buchi Babu Invitation Tournament 2000, the Karnataka State Cricket Association XI side slumped to 243 all out
Anand Vasu
22-Jul-2009
Resuming on 182/5 on the second day of the quarterfinal of the Buchi
Babu Invitation Tournament 2000, the Karnataka State Cricket
Association XI side slumped to 243 all out. In characteristic fashion,
the tail twitched instead of wagging and gave the National Cricket
Academy's (NCA) Reetinder Singh Sodhi three wickets.
Responding to the smallish total, the NCA side was in command from the
word go. Although Tamil Nadu southpaw Sridharan Sriram managed just
13, his opening partner, Shiv Sunder Das slammed an unbeaten 139,
effectively blocking up one end. Gautam Gambhir, who was sent up in
the order, made 39 before he fell to Vadiaraj.
Although young hopefuls Mohammed Kaif and Yuvraj Singh were dismissed
cheaply, Das' 230 ball essay saw the NCA team take the crucial first
innings lead. His knock, a steady one given the circumstances,
included 14 shots to the fence.
Indian utility player Vijay Bharadwaj rolled his arm over, and as he
has done so many times in the past snapped up four wickets after tea.
At stumps, the NCA were 245/6, with Das (139) and Ramesh Powar (7) at
the crease. Having taken the first innings lead, with just one day's
play remaining, it will take some remarkably bad cricket on the part
of the NCA, extraordinarily good cricket on the part of KSCA or both
to keep the NCA side from advancing to the next round.