Date:01/08/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/08/01/stories/2004080102611500.htm

Sport - Cricket

Birt, Plant come good

By Our Sports Reporter

BANGALORE, JULY 31. Travis Birt's belligerent 101 (104b, 9 x 4, 4 x 6) and Tom Plant's sedate 98 (238b, 7 x 4) helped the Commonwealth Bank Centre of Excellence (CBCE) Australian Cricket Academy strike a dominant note at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Saturday.

On the opening day of the two-day match against host KSCA XI, the visitors thrived on a 176-run second-wicket partnership to score 291 despite suffering a middle-order collapse and a tail that failed to wag.

Later in the evening, KSCA XI scored 57 for one after seamer Brad Knowles dismissed Robin Uthappa. Mithun Beerala, who survived some testing moments against left-arm fast bowler Doug Bollinger, gained in confidence and drove Bollinger past covers for four.

Earlier, the visitors lost opener Craig Simmons when fished against Vinay Kumar and snicked to wicket-keeper Thilak Naidu.

The stage was then set for Plant and Birt and the duo waded into the KSCA attack with aplomb. The spinners were often swept away to distraction and Birt's lofted shots and Plant's straight bat, proved too tough a proposition for the host team to handle.

Birt succumbed to off-spinner Ryan Ninan (three for 95) and later the spinner also slipped one past Plant's defence. Once Birt and Plant had departed, KSCA XI struck back through left-arm spinner Anand Katti (four for 81) while the batsmen floundered with aimless shots.

The scores: CBCE-Australian Cricket Academy 291 in 83.3 overs (Travis Birt 101, Tom Plant 98, Anand Katti four for 81, Ryan Ninan three for 95) vs KSCA XI 57 for one in nine overs (Mithun Beerala 29 n.o.).