Finally Dhoni scores, Jharkhand win

Dhoni8217;s 20-minute breezy stay at the wicket is in no way any indicator of the player8217;s likely return to form, considering the still-fresh memory of his performance in India8217;s disastrous World Cup campaign. But the 21-ball outburst, with five thumping hits to the fence and one flat six over deep cover, came as welcome relief.

After two disappointing knocks of 1 and 12, the East Zone leg8217;s lone star attraction finally made his presence felt.

Chasing a modest target of 142 after Assam left-hander Pervez Aziz smashed an entertaining 65 in the scorching afternoon sun, Jharkhand got there with 17 balls to spare and 8 wickets in hand. Diminutive Jharkhand opener Manish Vardhan did what Aziz did for Assam, hitting a stroke-filled unbeaten 64 off 47 balls.

It was Dhoni who wrapped up the day8217;s action with a disdainful cross-swipe through square-leg that went for four. But before the winning stroke came some typically lusty shots through the cover region.

Medium bowler Dheeraj Goswami 33 runs off 3 overs was picked for special treatment, as Dhoni, going out to bat at 89 for 2, chose to dispatch everything that he bowled through the cover region. Dhoni8217;s shot-making was so ferocious that the Assam fielders literally wilted under pressure, letting through a few stoppable hits to the fence. In the day8217;s other match, Orissa outplayed Tripura by 42 runs.

Brief scores

n Orissa 140/6 in 20 overs P Jaychandra 41, R Das 41;

S Choudhury 2/21 won by 42 runs against Tripura 98 all out in 17.3 overs Paresh Patel 4/11.

n Assam 141/9 in 20 overs Pervez Aziz 65; Shahbaz Nadeem 3/20 lost by 8 wickets to Jharkhand 143/2 in 17.1 overs Manish Vardhan 64 no, MS Dhoni 37 no.