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CAB emerges champion

By Our Sports Reporter

BANGALORE Aug. 16. Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) emerged the champion in the KSCA All India Invitation MRF Trophy tournament at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Saturday. In the final, CAB defeated host KSCA XI by 56 runs.

For Bengal it was a heady turnaround in fortunes as at one stage the exit door loomed large while KSCA XI, chasing 228, cruised at 130 for two in 22 overs. Stuart Binny (44) was busy pock marking the fence with his clean hits and Shyam Ponnappa was also gaining in confidence.

However with the score reading 132, Shyam, after despatching off-spinner Sourasish Lahiri (four for 38) for six past mid-wicket, attempted an encore and watched Shib Sanyal exulting at deep mid-wicket.

The warning siren never stopped wailing after that as Binny too fell victim to his over-reaching ambition and instead of clearing the fence, found the fielder at long-on of Lahiri. Earlier Stuart along with opener Robin Uthappa (57) had set the chase on cruise mode, with some rousing shots front of the wicket.

Robin mixed the odd late cut with his drive on the up over covers while Stuart after surviving a scare when seamer Shabbir Ali dropped him in his follow-through, struck the Bengal spinners nice and clean. Robin however failed to curb his instinct and holed out in the deep and with Stuart too succumbing with a lofted shot, the homestretch became a nightmare for KSCA XI. The hosts were also bruised by two run-outs.

K.M. Aiyappa trundled to the pavilion after failing to beat Laxmi Ratan Shukla's throw. And later striker Pawan Gargi and non-striker Vinay Uthappa inexplicably failed to notice that the ball was close to wicket-keeper Subhomoy Das. They hurtled ahead for the single and Vinay Uthappa was stranded. Soon the chase was a shambles as KSCA XI was bundled out for 171 in 34 overs.

Earlier, Bengal resuming at the overnight 34 for no loss, posted 200 for nine in the stipulated 40-over second innings. Subhomoy Das (68) guided the visitors while hosts' off-spinner Udit Patel (six for 65) had a productive outing, bagging six wickets.

CAB's Laxmi Ratan Shukla was awarded the man-of-the-final prize.

The scores (final): Cricket Association of Bengal 303 in 86.4 overs and 200 for nine in 40 overs (Subhomoy Das 68, A. Roy 28, Udit Patel six for 65) bt KSCA XI 276 in 89 overs and 171 in 34 overs (Robin Uthappa 57, Stuart Binny 44, Shyam Ponappa 27, Sourasish Lahiri four for 38, Utpal Chatterjee three for 61).

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