India 'A' beat Seniors by two wickets

India Seniors skipper Sourav Ganguly made up for his batting failure by grabbing four wickets, but could not prevent India 'A' from scoring a two-wicket win in the opening match of the N K P Salve Challenger Trophy in Bangalore on Thursday.

Ganguly, who could score only two runs, had figures of four for forty, but his efforts were nullified by India 'A' who, chasing a victory target of 230, finished at 235 for eight with 11 balls to spare.

Yuvraj Singh top-scored for India 'A' with a stroke-filled 55 from 77 balls, including six fours, and added 88 runs for the fifth wicket with wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra (36) to put his side on the road to victory after they had been struggling at 91 for four.

Earlier, Ganguly had won the toss and elected to bat first, but his side could not capitalise on the advantage. They were reduced to 64 for four before Hemang Badani, who top scored with 41, and Harbhajan Singh and Sunil Joshi chipped in with useful contributions to enable their side to cross the 200-run mark. They finished at 229 for nine in their allotted 50 overs.

India 'A' had a good start to their run chase with openers Daniel Manohar and Connor Williams putting on 43 runs before Sanjay Bangar struck the first blow. Bangar, who took three wickets, clean bowled both the openers, Williams for 19, and Manohar, who added 40 runs for the second wicket with captain V V S Laxman, for 36.

But it was Ganguly who effected the major breakthroughs for the senior team. He sent back Laxman (13) and Rohan Gavaskar (4), both caught by wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta, in successive overs. He then took two other important wickets of Ajay Ratra and Reetinder Singh Sodhi. Sodhi, who had scored all his 14 runs in one over from Sunil Joshi hitting him for two fours and a six, was unlucky to have been given out as TV replays showed the ball had hit his helmet on the way to the wicketkeeper.

The fifth wicket stand between Yuveraj and Ratra had placed India 'A' in a comfortable position at 179 for four before the seniors took some quick wickets to bring excitement into the match. India 'A' lost their eighth wicket at 220 but Murli Kartik and Sarandeep Singh held on to take their team past the victory target. Sarandeep hit a six off Siddiqui, who had conceded as many as 15 of the 21 wides, to bring off the winning runs.

Earlier, India Senior batsmen could not take advantage of the first use of the pitch and could manage only a modest total, thanks to some brave knocks down the order.

Ganguly, who has been struggling to regain his form for more than a year now, made just two runs before getting out in his trademark fashion. He chased an outgoing delivery from speedster Ajit Agarkar to give a regulation catch to Laxman at second slip.

Ganguly, who opened the innings with Shiv Sunder Das, was out when the total read only 13 runs and his team plunged into further crisis when Manohar claimed three big wickets in successive overs to reduce the senior side to 64 for four.

Manohar sent back Deep Dasgpta, Virender Sehwag and Das in quick succession after coming on as the first change bowler after 12 overs.

Dasgupta, who looked uncomfortable during his stay at the crease, spooned a simple catch to Gavaskar at mid-on after making 10 and adding 35 runs for the second wicket with Das.

Gavaskar was instrumental in the dismissal of Sehwag also, snapping up the batsman who played a loose shot after scoring just four runs. In his next over, Manohar dimissed Das too, trapping him leg before wicket. Das had compiled a patient 34 off 49 balls with three fours.

Badani, who came at the fall of Sehwag's wicket, batted well and looked set for a big score. He played his strokes fluently, and lofted left-arm spinner Kartik for a huge six.

Badani and Jacob Martin put on 62 runs for the fifth wicket to take the score to 126 before the senior team lost two quick wickets.

PTI

Mail Cricket Editor