The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Metro CC in final

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Sunday, Mar 06, 2005

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Sport - Cricket

Metro CC in final

By Our Special Correspondent

VISAKHAPATNAM, MARCH 5. Metro CC, a four-time winner, beat East Coast Railway Sports Association by eight runs to enter the final of the 12th annual The Hindu Trophy prize money cricket tournament.

But in the other semifinal Visakhapatam Port Sports Council scored a comfortable win over Sports XI.

The young Andhra Ranji player, G. Shankara Rao, exhibited a fine all-round show for ECRSA, the railway team was chugging along smoothly in its chase of the 218-run victory target when top-scorer Ravikumar (53, 4x5) and G. Shankar Rao (45, 4x4) were in the middle. Ravikumar had earlier scored 48 runs for the second wicket with Kumara Swamy (23, 4x3) after the team lost the first wicket for five runs. It was with the exit of Ravikumar, bowled by G.V.S. Prasad after adding 60 runs for the fourth wicket, and with the score at 132, that ECRSA found the going tough. Shankara Rao left 24 runs later, falling to Brahmaji.

But Sai Kumar (36, 6x1, 4x1) did not lose heart even as Y. Lakshman Kishore claimed four wickets in quick succession, the last two of them falling at the score of 208. His gallant knock, as well as the team's came to an end when G.V.S. Prasad had him stumped with an over to spare. Atchuta Rao and Naga Gangadhar picked up a wicket each early in the innings.

Earlier, Metro, electing to bat, was off to a good start with Chandrasekhar (37, 4x4) and Sri Harsha (30, 4x4) putting on 66 runs. Then Kranti Kumar (46, 4x4) and Sumanth (27, 4x1) added 61 runs for the third wicket. J.T. Yadav (27, 4x1) was the only other batsman to shine.

G. Shankara Rao picked up four wickets while M.N. Vikram Varma and Madhu Sudhan had two each.

Port, on the other hand, showed resilience in bouncing back from losing five wickets for 63 runs against Sports XI. Venkanna Babu and Sharat claimed two wickets each and Raghu picked up one wicket at this stage for Sports XI.But Pijush Bandhopadhyay came up with a fine knock of 72 runs (4x5).

The scores:

Metro CC 217 in 49.3 overs (Kranti Kumar 46, G. Shankara Rao four for 20) bt ECRSA 209 in 49 overs (Ravi Kumar 53, G. Shankara Rao 45, Y. Lakshman Kishore four for 26).

VPSC 232 for seven incl. 25 penalty overs in 50 overs (Pijush B. 72) bt Sports XI 156 in 39 overs.

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