Rain plays havoc with Coromandel Cement Cup matches

Rain which had severely curtailed play in the five matches in the Coromandel Cement Cup on the first two days, had the final say on the last day. Three of the five matches were decided on the spin of the coin. The remaining two were decided on the first innings lead but these too were hit by rain.

The showers washed out the final day's play in the game between Hyderabad Cricket Association and MRF XI at the Gangothir Gladers ground in Mysore on Friday. With the first innings still not completed, the spin of the coin was resorted to in a bid to spot the winner. And HCA were lucky. At stumps on the second day, HCA were 15 for one in reply to MRF's first innings total of 325.

There was no play also in the match between Indian Airlines and Oil & Natural Gas Corporation at the Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar Sports Complex in Bangalore. In fact, there was no play on the first and third day and on the second day, ONGC had scored 459 for four in 90 overs. The toss favoured ONGC.

The spin of the coin was also resorted to at the Central College grounds in Bangalore in the match between India Cements and Roofit, Mumbai. Play could start only at 2.30 and was called off at 4.15. Roofit, who were 341 for seven in 87.5 overs at stumps on Thursday, declared their innings at the overnight score. In whatever time that was available to them, India Cements openers P Raju (21) and S Suresh (43) put on 75 runs in 27 overs without being separated. No further play was possible however and Roofit won the toss for the right to enter the quarterfinal.

At the NRA ground in Bangalore, KSCA Colts defeated Kerala CA XI on the first innings lead. Resuming at 123 for six in reply to KSCA Colts' score of 321 for seven, Kerala were all out for 199 in 58.5 overs. Opening bowler NC Aiyappa, who did most of the damage yesterday, finished with five for 61. KSCA Colts in their second innings were 60 for one off 13 overs when the match was called off shortly after 4 pm with the consent of both the captains.

At the RSI ground in Bangalore, KSCA moved into the quarterfinals getting the better of Andhra on the first innings lead. Andhra who were 98 for three at stumps yesterday in reply to KSCA's 343 for five, were all out for 195 in 65.5 overs. The early fall of the experienced opener Amit Pathak was a blow from which Andhra never really recovered. Pathak who was 68 overnight, was out after adding only a single. SK Vadeyaraj who dismissed Pathak was the wrecker-in-chief. He finished with six wickets for 44 off 23.5 overs. The match started late due to wet ground conditions caused by overnight rain and with the agreement of the two captains, the match was called off at the end of the Andhra innings.

The three day quarterfinals commence on August 5.

The quarterfinal line-up: India Pistons v Hyderabad XI (Mysore), Roofit XI v KSCA Colts XI (Bangalore), KSCA XI v ONGC XI (Bangalore), Chemplast v BPL SC (Mysore)