When two unknown players come to the pitch with the sole intention of sticking around,their performances are unlikely to attract attention and,had this not been a Ranji Trophy semi-final,Tuesdays play might well have gone unnoticed. But while Uttar Pradeshs scoring rate of 2.5 wouldnt have pleased the fans much,in the dressing room,they applauded every forward defensive stroke played by Shivakant Shukla and Parvinder Singh. Replying to Tamil Nadus first innings total of 445,Uttar Pradesh were 253 for three at the end of the third days play,setting the stage for an exciting final day. Shivakant and Parvinder came together early in the piece on Tuesday. TN seamer Laxmipathy Balaji struck two vital blows in the morning session,getting through the defences of both Suresh Raina and Mohammad Kaif,to leave UP struggling at 63 for three. But the Shivakant and Parvinder managed to bat out the rest of the day to stay unbeaten on 103 and 92 respectively. While the tide may not have turned completely,UP have come back strongly after being dominated on the first day. They now need a gettable 193 to march into the final,while Tamil Nadu will go all out to pick up the seven wickets that will see them walk the same path. In a team of famous faces,Shukla and Parvinder happen to be the backroom boys. Though both have represented the country at the junior level,they are far from being household names. Inconsistency has been a big factor in the fact that they never figure in pre-match reviews. Shukla is comfortable with the anonymity and life in the shadow of stars. I think I never got proper guidance at the right time. Several of my batch mates from the junior ranks have got the big break but not me. But I knew my time would come, said the 22-year-old,who thinks this knock will help him cement his place in the side. For Parvinder,the wait for his big day has been longer. The 27-year-old made his debut in 2000 but because of a packed middle-order,he failed to be a regular in the side. Today,the man following Raina and Kaif in the batting line-up finally outshone the stars. Since I made my debut seven years back,I have played just seven Ranji games, Parvinder said. It feels good that this knock came at the right time.
