Vidharba's AM Piprode demolishes MP

AM Piprode with the match figures of 9/103 helped a dominant Vidarbha thrash Madhya Pradesh by an innings and 133 runs in the Under-22 Tournament played at Vidarbha CA Ground, Nagpur, on Monday. The hosts Vidarbha gave a very good account of themselves with the bat and ball to take all the eight points to MP's none.

Electing to bat after winning the toss, MP made a poor start to their campaign by losing four wickets with just 17 on the board. Piprode accounting for three of the four to fall. 80 runs were added for the fifth wicket between opener S Tomar and S Kapoor. Kapoor dominated the partnership and it was S Tomar (27) who was dismissed first to make it 97/5. K Seth made 30 helping Kapoor add 56 valuable runs for the sixth wicket. Kapoor who continued in the same vein striking the ball fluently, went on to complete a well deserved hundred and was the ninth batsman to be dismissed at 198. Kapoor's individual contribution was 109 runs which included 3 sixes and 17 fours. MP were all out for 198 in the 63rd over as Piprode picked up his fourth wicket to finish the innings with 4/68.

Vidarbha lost two early wickets and were reduced to 49/2 in the 9th over, but opener AS Manohar and captain AS Naidu gathered runs at will adding 255 for the third wicket. Both the batsmen had completed their century and it was Golwalkar who removed Manohar to break the partnership. Manohar was severe on the bowling smashing 130 runs in 226 balls with the help of 22 fours and 2 sixes. At 342 Naidu ran himself out for a well made 146 made of 203 balls which included 20 fours and a six. Vidarbha went on to add some more qucik runs to declare their first innings on 446/6 giving themselves a 248 run first innings lead. Dheeraj Sharma 52 remained unbeaten as HV Shitoot 45 was the last man to be dismissed.

MP had an uphill task ahead of them and ran in to trouble straight away, losing wickets at regular intervals. Opening bowlers Piprode (17-8-35-5) and CE Atram (17.5-3-62-4) were too good for their liking and MP were bowled out for 115 in 40.5 overs. The centurion from the first innings S Kapoor batted valiantly in the second dig too. Kapoor remained unconquered on 41 easily the best of the MP batting efforts as the last three batsmen were dismissed for nothing.