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Elite-C lifts title

By Our Sports Reporter

Elite-C, winner of the Duleep Trophy at Kochi on Sunday. Standing (from left): Kiran Pawar, S.K. Trivedi, Rohit Jhalani, K. Parida, N. Doru, J. Yadav and Jairaj. Sitting: Satyajit Parab, Pankaj Dharmani, G.J.J. Raju (Manager), Shiv Sundar Das, Hemang Badani, Nilesh Kulkarni and Yere Goud.

KOCHI APRIL 13. Just eighteen minutes on Sunday morning was enough for Elite-C to lift its maiden Duleep Trophy.

The four-dayer ended in a draw but the 104-run first innings lead and the accompanying five points that Elite-C accrued, ensured its top spot in the five-team league championship with 21 points and its final-round opponent, Plate-B, which picked three points on Sunday, finished runner-up with 19.

Plate-B's Vijay Bharadwaj, 94 overnight, completed his first century (105, 251 balls, 1x6, 10x4) in this edition with a splendid six off fast bowler S.K. Trivedi this morning. Bharadwaj's landmark, which came in the first over, was the lone bright spot of the final day. He fell two overs later and with it ended the Plate-B innings at 322.

After this, the players just went through the motions under the hot sun to complete the formalities. While doing so, a few seniors proved to be slow movers and great shirkers And the ageing Plate-B star Venkatesh Prasad stayed away from the ground the whole day.

There were a few dropped catches too, with Plate-B wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra spilling two as Elite-C went through its second innings. Kiran Pawar came up with a half-century (50, 78 b, 7x4) but with a few packed bags waiting and with trains to be caught in a hurry, there were quite a few anxious glances at watches and comical moments on the field.

In the end, Elite-C declared its second innings at 167 for seven in the sixth mandatory over, leaving no time for Plate-B to start a fresh essay. And the match ended in a draw.

Plate-B's veteran leg-spinner, former India star Narendra Hirwani picked up four wickets to finish with a match-haul of six.

The scores:

Elite-C — 1st innings: 426.

Plate-B — 1st innings: J. Arunkumar b Nilesh Kulkarni 78, Sujith Somasunder c Pankaj Dharmani b S.K. Trivedi 36, Hemanth Kumar c Jyoti Yadav b Kulkarni 8, Vijay Bharadwaj c Pankaj Dharmani b S.K. Trivedi 105, Devendra Bundela b K. Parida 6, Sreekumar Nair c Nikhil Doru b K. Pawar 32, Ajay Ratra c Hemang Badani b Parida 5, Rakesh Dhruv c Kiran Pawar b Kulkarni 27, Venkatesh Prasad lbw b Parida 7, S. Sreeshanth c Yere Goud b Kulkarni 1, Narendra Hirwani (not out) 1; Extras (b-2, 1b-5, nb-4, w-5) 16. Total: 322.

Fall of wickets: 1-83, 2-105, 3-130, 4-137, 5-198, 6-207, 7-275, 8-301, 9-302.

Elite-C bowling: S.K. Trivedi 24.5-6-72-2, Jyoti Yadav 3-0-12-0, Nilesh Kulkarni 41-8-103-4, K. Parida 44-10-100-3, Yere Goud 1-0-4-0, K. Pawar 9-2-24-1.

Elite-C — 2nd innings: S. Parab c Ajay Ratra b Sreekumar Nair 15, Jyothi Yadav c Vijay Bharadwaj b Narendra Hirwani 23, Nikhil Doru c Ajay Ratra b Hirwani 1, Kiran Pawar c Devendra Bundela b Hirwani 50, Pankaj Dharmani c C.E. Atram b Rakesh Dhruv 23, Hemang Badani c Ajay Ratra b Sreekumar Nair 23, Yere Goud c Hemanth Kumar b Hirwani 20, Shiv Sunder Das (not out) 1, Nilesh Kulkarni (not out) 0; Extras (lb-6, nb-5) 11. Total (for seven wkts decl.) 167.

Fall of wickets: 1-44, 2-44, 3-46, 4-114, 5-125, 6-147, 7-167.

Plate-B bowling: S. Sreeshanth 9-4-15-0, J. Arunkumar 2-1-1-0, Devendra Bundela 4-2-4-0, Sujith Somasunder 3-0-19-0, Narendra Hirwani 23-7-49-4, Sreekumar Nair 25-8-43-2, Rakesh Dhruv 10-3-30-1, Vijay Bharadwaj 0.1-0-0-0.

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