We will go all out: Azhar

By Our Sports Reporter

BANGALORE, APRIL 10. Hyderabad, basking in a post-Clinton visit halo topped with a silicon tinge, has often faltered in the Ranji trophy tournament's final stages. The City often had to rest content with the individual brilliance of M. A. K. Pataudi, M. L. Jaisimha and Mohammad Azharuddin. Despite qualifying for the semi-finals on 22 occasions, Hyderabad managed to lift the trophy only twice.

The visitors, with hopes of correcting an anemic Ranji track record, take on reigning champions Karnataka in the semi- final commencing at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Tuesday. ``I am excited. This is my first Ranji Trophy semi- final and we want to win,'' said Mohammad Azharuddin, Hyderabad skipper. ``I complement my players especially Laxman and the spinners. Karnataka is a good team but we will go all out for a win,'' he added.

While the visitors fancy their chances, the hosts are keen to ease into the final and wrest the trophy for a third successive year. With Anil Kumble and Rahul Dravid glued to county cricket and Javagal Srinath pulling out due to a groin strain, the Karnataka armoury does have chinks yet a champion's aura lingers thanks to an enviable bench strength.

``Despite senior players being away on National duty, the team has done well and the will to win is intact,'' said Venkatesh Prasad, the Karnataka skipper.

New comers, Mithun Beerala and Barrington Rowland have chipped in with resolute knocks and the experienced R. Vijay Bharadwaj and J. Arun Kumar lend more depth. Thilak Naidu will don the dual role of wicket-keeper and middle-order batsman while Prasad and Dodda Ganesh are expected to breach the Hyderabad citadel.

``With the pitch assisting seamers, we may have Vijay Bharadwaj's off-spinners as back up to Sunil Joshi,'' said B. Raghunath, the Karnataka coach.

The visitors batting line-up with Azhar in its ranks has a healthy glow. V. V. S. Laxman is in good nick (with two centuries against UP in the quarters) and a support crew of Vinay Kumar and Nanda Kishore have lend adequate muscle.

The bowling, which relies on veteran Kanwaljit Singh's off- spinners and Venkatapathy Raju's left-armers, may not tango with a pitch sporting a green hue.

``I may go in with three seamers,'' warned Azhar. N. P. Singh, Parth Satwalkar and Fiaz Ahmed will be the likely pace trio entrusted with a task of choking Karnataka's scoreboard. ``Our team is in good shape and with Karnataka missing Dravid, Kumble and Srinath, we have a distinct edge,'' said Arshad Ayub, the Hyderabad coach.

The recent quarter-final victory over Uttar Pradesh in which Hyderabad shrugged aside a 71-run first innings deficit to score an outright victory has bolstered the visitors' morale. Besides there are some old scores to settle.

In the 1997-98 semi-final, Karnataka scraped past Hyderabad with a one-wicket victory as Dodda Ganesh donned the savior's mantle. ``It was a close match and I'm sure they (Hyderabad) want to be on top now,'' said Venkatesh Prasad.

The teams:

Karnataka: Venkatesh Prasad (captain), J. Arun Kumar, Mithun Beerala, Rowland Barrington, R. Vijay Bharadwaj, Sunil Joshi, Dodda Ganesh, V.S. Thilak Naidu, B. Akhil, Santosh Vadeyaraj, A. Vijay, Mansur Ali Khan, Rajashekar Shanbal, K.N. Ramesh and Anand Yalvigi. Messrs B. Raghunath (coach), Narayan Raju (manager) and Ramakanth (physio).

Hyderabad: Mohammad Azharuddin (captain), L. Venkatapathy Raju (vice-captain), V.V.S. Laxman, Vanka Pratap, Kanwaljit Singh, N.P. Singh, Nanda Kishore, Youvraj Singh, Riaz Shaik, Parth Satwalkar, Daniel Manohar, Shivaji Yadav, Arjun Yadav, Fiaz Ahmed, Vinay Kumar and Raghuram. Messrs Arshad Ayub (coach), Shridhar (manager) and Venkateshwarlu (physio).

Umpires: Messrs Sekar Chauduri and B.A. Jamula.

Match referee: Mr. Bhagwandas Suthar.

Hours of play: 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.; lunch: 12 noon to 12.40 p.m.; tea: 2.40 p.m. to 3 p.m.

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