Shafique, Dahiya feast on Rovers attack

By Our Sports Reporter

CHENNAI, AUG. 25. Runs, runs and more runs. That was the order of the day for most part in the quarterfinals of the MRF-Buchi Babu all- India invitation cricket tournament here on Friday.

If Indian Airlines' Shafique Khan (205 not out) and skipper Vijay Dahiya (103 not out) put host Jolly Rovers' attack to the sword, Shiv Sundar Das made a fine unbeaten 139 to provide the National Cricket Academy the vital first innings lead against Karnataka CA. And there were three hundreds in the duel between ONGC and Associate Banks, Gautham Vadhera (157 not out) and Rizwan Shamshad (114) sparkling for the former, and Devendra Bundela replying with a strokeful 103.

If at all the bowlers made some headway, it was only at CPT-IP, where the NCA pacemen Reetinder Singh Sodhi and Rakesh Patel shared seven wickets between then, and then, Karnataka's Vijay Bharadwaj scalped four, bowling off-breaks, to put the Academy boys under pressure before the talented Das had the final say.

But first to the run-feast at IIT-Chemplast, where the Haryana- based Shafique raised 225 for the sixth wicket with Dahiya in just 288 deliveries with some sparkling shots. Shafique, who had batted positively on Thursday evening too, did not look back, striking 15 fours and fives sixes in his 271-ball innings.

Dahiya, a useful cricketer from Delhi who has not always received enough recognition, hit nine fours and one six in a knock spread over 135 balls. The Shafique-Dahiya stand clearly took the initiative away from Rovers, which incidentally had chosen to field.

However, the local team made a spirited reply with opener Sujith Somasunder (68, 135b, 8x4) and No. 3. S. Badrinath (40) involved in an unbroken 104-run stand for the second wicket, after paceman Vineet Jain trapped Jinju Joseph in front early on.

The experienced Sujith, who produced a lovely straight drive off paceman Dodda Ganesh, will have to play a long innings on Saturday, to keep Rovers afloat in the competition.

Das' knock at CPT-IP has already ensured NCA's progress to the semifinals, unless something dramatic unfolds. It was an important effort considering the fact that Mohammed Kaif, Yuvaraj Singh and Reetinder Singh Sodhi were dismissed in quick succession in the afternoon session with Vijay Bharadwaj getting into the act.

At 178 for five, NCA was in a spot of bother but the sixth wicket pair of Das and Rohit Jalani added 55 runs to guide the side to a safer territory. Jalani departed with NCA close to the target, but Das and Ramesh Powar completed the task.

Das' 139 (231b, 14x4), is yet another confirmation of his ability. A compact player, who can squeeze the ball through the gaps on either side of the wicket, he was in his elements on Friday as he handled all the bowlers, including Venkatesh Prasad confidently.

In the morning, Shiraguppi fell lbw to Patel on his overnight score of 25, and Reetinder quickly joined in the hunt for wickets. Reetinder, round armish not too long ago, has obviously worked on his action and is putting more body into his deliveries now. A.R. Mahesh (64, 211b, 6x4) batted valiantly, till Sodhi had him caught at short mid-wicket.

At MAC, Gautham Vadhera (157 not out, 232b, 15x4) and Rizwan Shamshad (114, 136b, 1x6, 11x4) made life miserable for the Associate Banks bowlers, putting on 229 for the fourth wicket in 42.2 overs, before the declaration came at 484 for five.

Associate Banks started disastrously with Amit Bhandari packing off openers C.P. Sahu and Daniel Manohar in rapid succession. However, the well-built Bundela took the center-stage conjuring 103 (189b, 16x4) and adding 125 for the third wicket with Pankaj Dharmani (64, 86b, 1x6, 11x4) before the latter's pull was well taken by Bhandari at deep mid-wicket, off- spinner Virender Sehwag being the bowler.

Budela himself departed soon after his century, top- edging an attempted hook off Feroze Ghayas to be gobbled up by Ravi Sehgal at fine leg.

The scores:

Indian Airlines 502 for five decl. in 142.5 overs (J. Arun Kumar 75, V.V.S. Laxman 46, Shafique Khan 205 not out, Vijay Dahiya 103 not out) v Jolly Rovers 136 for one in 36 overs (Sujith Somasunder 68 batting, S. Badrinath 40 batting), at IIT- Chemplast.

Karnataka 243 in 109.4 overs (Amit Kumar 34, R. Shanbal 27, A.R. Mahesh 64, Shiraguppi 25, Reetinder Singh Sodhi four for 61, Rakesh Patel three for 61) v National Cricket Academy 245 for six in 74 overs (S.S. Das 139 batting, Gautham Gambhir 39, Vijay Bharadwaj four for 45), at CPT-IP.

ONGC 484 for five decl. in 120.4 overs (Ravi Sehgal 30, Gagan Khoda 91, Virendar Sehwag 68, Gautham Vadhera 157 not out, Rizwan Shamshad 114) v Associate Banks 223 for four in 67 overs (Devendra Bundela 103, Pankaj Dharmani 64, Thilak Naidu 26 batting), at MAC.

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