Rest of India wins Irani Trophy

Skipper V V S Laxman's scintillating 148 and his 217-run fourth wicket partnership with man-of-the-match Dinesh Mongia (90 not out) enabled Rest of India to score an emphatic six-wicket victory over Baroda on the fifth and final day of the Irani Trophy cricket match in Nagpur, on Wednesday.

Chasing 273 for an outright victory, Rest of India, who, at one stage, were struggling at 42 for three on Tuesday, reached the target in 77.2 overs.

Laxman began briskly, driving and cutting with aplomb. He was very severe on spinner Valmik Buch, hitting some wonderful on-drives and scored 78 of the 128 runs conceded by Buch.

Mongia was sedate and played a sheet anchor role while rotating the strike. He played some powerful lofted shots.

Laxman got to his 50 by hoisting Buch over mid on for a six and Rest of India passed the hundred mark in the process.

Unable to stem the flow of runs, Baroda skipper Connor Williams desparately shuffled his bowlers, but they lacked penetration and variety.

Dinesh Mongia once again showcased his excellent form in the domestic circuit and narrowly missed the honour of being the only cricketer to get a century in each innings in the Irani Trophy.

Baroda must be rueing their missed chance of Laxman on Tuesday, when he was dropped on 12, by Satyajit Parab off Buch.

Laxman more than compensated for his failure in the first innings and played a match-winning knock besides proving his fitness and form for the forthcoming Test series in South Africa next month.

The Hyderabad star completed his century with a fluent cover drive off Buch at the stroke of lunch and Rest of India were cruising at 198 for three wickets.

The post lunch session saw Rest's well settled batsmen (Laxman and Mongia) send the Baroda bowlers on a leather hunt and pass the 250 mark in 71.3 overs.

Laxman finally fell playing a tired looking shot, caught at mid-on off Buch with his side requiring only ten runs for an outright victory.

Mongia, who played second fiddle to his skipper, ensured victory for his side in the company of 'keeper-batsman Ajay Ratra, who remained not out on three.

Scoreboard

. Baroda (1st innings): 318
Rest of India (1st innings): 331
Baroda (2nd innings): 285
Rest of India (2nd innings): (overnight 60 for three)
A Chopra c N Mongia b R Patel 4
V Mane c N Mongia b Pathan Sr. 2
V V S Laxman c R Patel b V Buch 148
H Kanitkar c N Mongia b Pathan Jr. 21
D Mongia not out 90
A Ratra not out 3
Extras (lb-1, nb-4) 5
Total (for four wickets) 273
Fall of wickets: 1/6, 2/6, 3/46, 4/263.
Bowling: R Patel 16-4-33-1, Pathan Sr. 5-1-15-1, V Buch 26-5-128-1, Pathan Jr. 11-2-34-1, U Patel 16.2-5-52-0, T Arote 3-0-10-0.

Mail Cricket Editor