Joginder,Haryana hit Uttar Pradesh for a six

For close to six sessions during the Haryana-Uttar Pradesh clash,the match hung in the balance. It had been a match for the medium pacers,or anyone who was willing to let the ball swing in the thick air at the Mohun Meakins ground. If it was Dhruv Singh for Haryana who did the damage on the first day,UP’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the real nemesis on the second,before Joginder Sharma scalped three late wickets to leave UP reeling at 68/3 at stumps. But that was just a trailer into what was to unfold on Friday.

The T20 World Cup winner ran through Mohd Kaif’s side like a hurricane,scalping six wickets as UP were skittled out for a second innings total of 174. With a first innings lead of 104 runs,Haryana required a mere 70 runs to complete their most convincing win yet after being promoted to the Elite division this season.

Openers Nitin Saini (22) and Rahul Dewan (34 not out) overhauled the target in 20 overs,bagging six valuable points to go top of the Group B table. Saini and Dewan had no problems as the duo stitched a 45-run opening partnership before the former was caught by skipper Mohammad Kaif off Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 16th over. Dewan and Sunny Singh (7) then comfortably reached the target without any more hiccups.

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Earlier in the morning,UP’s Tanmay Srivastava (60) notched up a well-made half-century en route to a 65-run fifth wicket partnership with Parvinder Singh (58 not out),before Sachin Rana (3/27) and Joginder showed the home side how to use their conditions to perfection.

Brief Score: UP 167 and 174 (T Srivastava 60,P Singh 58*; J Sharma 6/59) vs Haryana 272 and 72 for one (R Dewan 34 not out; B Kumar 1/20).