India A set up summit clash with Seniors

The 19-year-old’s knock came after a fine platform was set by Mohammed Azharuddin’s 50 (46b, 5×4) and Sridharan Sharath 42 (53b, 2×4, 1×6). Patel’s unbeaten 70 was compiled from 63 balls and it had seven hits to the fence. Nayan Mongia’s 24 from 22 balls.

India A opener J Arun Kumar’s recent heroics at Motera have led to his fan club taking roots here. The Karnataka batsman’s 149 for South Zone in the Deodhar Trophy match followed by his 72 in the opening match of the Challenger Trophy have had the locals interested in him. Two extra cover drives in his innings off the opening bowlers Doda Ganesh and Debashis Mohanty meant more enrollment to the said club.

But Arun didn’t last long, Ganesh induced a snick as the batsman tried to cut and wicket-keeper Ajay Ratra took an easy catch.

With JP Yadav sitting out, Sanjay Bangar opened the innings. The newcomer showed teething problems as the first five overs saw a total run drought for Bangar. But after that it didn’t just rain, it poured. Four boundaries in Mohanty’s third over and 10 from Reetinder Singh Sodhi’s first meant Bangar had the India A score racing to 50 in 8.5 overs. Bangar’s shots had a common trajectory after taking off from his bat, the ball landed beyond the 15-yard circle and then rolled over the fence.

Bangar changed tactics to the field spread. Now in company of his skipper M Azharuddin, they adopted the hit and run strategy. After an association of 79 runs Bangar departed caught by Devendra Bundela at short mid-wicket off Sodhi.

Azhar had entered the field with the pressure of compiling one big innings which would be one final push on the selectors door. After a sombre start, Azhar’s eye lit up on the sight of left-arm spinner Anup Dave. After getting dropped by Mohanty on the long off fence, Azhar stepped out once again but he missed the line to be stumped by Ajay Ratra.

This was followed by a small but eventful innings by the hard hitting Virender Sehwag. His innings of 21 runs from 20 balls was ended by Mohd Kaif freak ball which spun in prodigiously to hit the stumps.

And this brought to centre Niraj Patel and his two vital partnerships with Sharath (42) and Mongia (24).

Scoreboard

India A: Arun Kumar c Ratra b Ganesh 19 (34m, 29b, 4×4)
Sanjay Bangar c Bundela b Reetinder Sodhi 46 (104m, 71b, 6×4)
Mohammed Azaruddin st Ratra b Dave 50 (78m, 46b, 5×4)
Sridharan Sharath c Jadeja b Bundela 42 (74m, 53b, 2×4, 1×6)
Virender Sehwag b Kaif 21 (29m, 20b, 2×4)
Niraj Patel not out 70 (70m, 63b, 7×4)
Nayan Mongia not out 24 (35m, 22b, 2×4)
Extras: (lb 6, w 13, nb 4) 23
Total: (for 5 wickets, in 50 overs) 295
Fall of wickets: 1-40 (Arun Kumar), 2-119 (Bangar), 3-126 (Azhar), 4-164 (Sehwag), 5-234 (Sharath)

Bowling: Mohanty 4-1-25-0 (w 2, nb 1), Ganesh 9-1-51-1 (w 5), Reetinder Sodhi 10-1-59-1 (w 2, nb 2), Bundela 8-0-47-1 (w 3, nb 1), Dave 10-0-57-1, Kaif 5-0-27-1, Jadeja 4-0-23-0 (w 1)