NCA XI pocket second victory over Combined Academies

National Cricket Academy XI completed a second trouncing in successive days of the Combined Zonal Academy team at the RSI Ground in Bangalore on Wednesday. NCA's 115 run victory was built around a rollicking century by opener Deep Dasgupta, ably supported by lusty efforts from Gnaneswara Rao and Ishan Ganda. In a game that was reduced to 45 overs a side due to overnight rain, NCA piled up 303/5 and then rolled over their opponents for 188.

NCA skipper Ajay Ratra won the toss and elected to take first strike, opening the batting himself with his fellow stumper Dasgupta. Ratra - playing as a specialist batsman - fell to Mihir Diwakar for 22 but Dasgupta and Rao (67) proceeded to compile a 134 run second wicket partnership. Dasgupta, who was among the probables for the Zimbabwe tour, hoisted a 98 ball ton, advancing to 122 off 115 balls, before he became spinner Abhishek Sharma's second victim. A late onslaught from Ganda who belted an unbeaten 66 off just 48 balls saw NCA top the 300 run mark. Neither Gautam Gambhir nor Gulzar Inder Singh who put on a 204 run opening stand for NCA on Tuesday got to bat. Sharma was by far the best bowler on view with 3/40 in nine overs.

The Combined XI never appeared remotely in the hunt, offering only a few pockets of resistance in the form of opener SM Dholpure's 57 and Ambati Rayudu's 43. Stuart Binny smacked three sixes in his 28 before being ninth out and the game meandered to its desultory end shortly afterwards. Six bowlers shared the wickets for the victors with Maninder Singh, SG Yadav, Mulewa Dharmichand and Ishan Ganda scalping two apiece.