India 'A' beat India 'B' to move into final

India 'A' stormed into the final of the N K P Salve Challenger series cricket tournament with a comprehensive 59-run victory against India 'B' in the last league match in Bangalore on Saturday night.

The second successive victory for India 'A', following their two wicket win against India Seniors on Thursday, was powered by a five wicket haul by off-spinner Sarandeep Singh, who wrecked the middle order of India 'B'.

India 'A' will take on the senior team, placed second in the league table with a win and a loss, in the final on Sunday.

India 'B', who were restricted to 230 in 38.4 overs in response to the 289 of India 'A', lost both their matches and crashed out of the tournament.

Mohammed Kaif was the highest scorer for India 'B', making a fine 69, while Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Vijay Bhardwaj contributed 47 and 43 runs respectively.

But none of the other batsmen, with the exception of wicketkeeper Pankaj Dharmani (13) and Ashish Nehra (23), could even reach the double figures.

Besides Sarandeep, who finished with figures of five for 57 from his ten overs, Ajit Agarkar claimed three wickets for 55 runs.

Earlier, put into bat, India 'A' had set an imposing target for their opponents thanks to useful contributions from all the top order batsmen.

India 'B' lost their first two wickets for only 12 runs with Agarkar striking in the very first over by having opener Sridharan Sriram caught by V V S Laxman at the second slip for two.

Dinesh Mongia, who had scored a brilliant century in Friday's game against India Seniors, was also dismissed cheaply, run out for two.

It would have been 13 for three had Ajay Ratra not dropped Kaif, on six, off Zaheer Khan.

Kaif and Kanitkar then added 113 runs for the third wicket to bring their team back into the chase.

But Sarandeep dismissed both of them in quick succession and it was a downward slide after that as India 'B' kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

Kaif whose 69 came off 68 balls and included five fours and a six holed out in the deep to Sitanshu Kotak.

Kanitkar followed him soon after making 47 that included three boundaries. Sarandeep also sent back Bhardwaj who was the only other substantial scorer of the innings.

Earlier, opener Connor Williams led a fine batting display by India 'A' with a solid 73 off 91 balls that was studded with seven fours and a six.

Williams put on 63 runs of the first wicket with Sangram Singh who contributed 39 runs and was also associated in healthy partnerships with Laxman (28) and Rohan Gavaskar (45) before being caught in the deep by Devendra Bundela off Kanitkar.

Yuveraj Singh scored a quickfire 48 off 40 balls to pep up the innings. For India 'B', skipper Anil Kumble claimed two wickets for 47 runs, while Arjun Yadav and Kanitkar took one wicket each.

Mail Cricket Editor