Sood,Milind return richer on experience

He bagged six wickets in three games but has been on the expensive side when it comes to economy. Even in the match where he picked up his first five wicket haul,he gave away 84 runs in 12 overs. His plus point is certainly his line and length but still he needs to read the wicket in order to extract the best possible results. With the Holkar Stadium wicket quite placid and hardly offering anything for the bowlers,Sood kept bowling quick through the air. Had he varied with his pace,he might not have been picked off so easily and his figures would have made for more pleasurable reading.

“That is one thing I have learned from this tour. There is no room for an error. That is the difference between age level cricket and high level. In the final,even though I had squared up Manish Pandey twice but couple of times the ball slipped from my hands and landed short. In order to contain from one side,I couldn’t bowl according to plan,” says Sood.

The positive thing that has emerged is the fact that Delhi can rely on Sood,as not only is he capable of bowling his entire quota of overs,he can land a few blows with the bat as well. Sood played a knock of 24 in the final while coming at number eight. “It always adds strength to the tail if somebody can score quickfire (runs) at that position. I am really looking forward to consider my batting seriously and want to improve my skill,” he said.

Delhi have also found a strong contender for a place in the middle order in Milind Kumar. Fresh from his two centuries in the Moin-Ud-Daula Cup in Hyderabad,Kumar continued his run of form in the Challenger Trophy. Barring his first match where he got run out on 22,he made sure that he made this opportunity count. Kumar came back stronger and played a crucial knock of 57 against India Red. He smashed Umesh Yadav over the thirdman boundary for six and played a couple of boundaries in the same area by making room for himself.

His immense patience to stay put at the crease coupled with an ability to rotate strike against the spinners could be vital in Delhi’s upcoming domestic season. In the final as well,he struck the ball all around the park in his 54 including the inside out shot that he has executed perfectly.

“It was a huge opportunity for me. I am happy that I scored but want to convert these starts into big scores. I would have loved even more had these runs helped Delhi win the Trophy,” Kumar says.