Sport - Cricket

Gujarat salvages two points

Principal Correspondent

HYDERABAD: N. Arjun Yadav was the saviour for Hyderabad and captain-cum-wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel the villain for Gujarat as the four-day Ranji Trophy Super League Group `B' match ended in a draw at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium (Uppal) here on Tuesday.

Resuming at 63 for two, Hyderabad looked comfortably placed at lunch with D.B. Ravi Teja (72, 211b, 7x4) and A.T. Rayudu playing sensibly. But, in the post-lunch session, two dubious decisions and indiscreet strokes saw Hyderabad slip into a crisis.

First, Rayudu was unlucky to be declared caught at silly-point off leg-spinner Timil Patel when it looked as if the catch was off a half-volley.

Hyderabad was surprised by the lively pace and bounce that Amit Singh and left-armer Ashraf Makda generated when the new ball was claimed at 171 for three. It triggered a mini-collapse.

This period also saw Ibrahim Khaleel becoming another unfortunate victim. He was declared caught at point on the half-volley off Amit Singh. That was the phase when the Gujarat catching was below par with Parthiv being the main culprit, even in collection behind the stumps.

With Hyderabad reeling at 219 for eight long before the start of the mandatory overs, Parthiv dropped a regulation catch when Yadav was lured into snicking a lifting delivery from Amit. That lapse proved costly, as Hyderabad was just 18 runs ahead then.

Meanwhile, Arjun (59, 125b, 5x4, 2x6) played a responsible innings and held up one end in the company of the spirited Narinderpal Singh (24 not out, 4x4). More importantly, the duo consumed crucial mandatory overs before Arjun departed in the sixth over.

Though Gujarat wrapped up the Hyderabad innings in the 10th mandatory over, it was a bit too late as the target of 54 runs from four overs was too much to chase. Predictably, Gujarat took it easy and had to be content with two points for it's first innings lead.

Gujarat now has two points from three matches and Hyderabad has four from three.

The scores:

Hyderabad — 1st innings: 205.

Gujarat — 1st innings: 406 for nine decl.

Hyderabad — 2nd innings: T. Suman c P. Patel b Majumdar 7, D.B. Ravi Teja lbw b Makda 72, Anirudh Singh c Neeraj Patel b Timil Patel 22, A.T. Rayudu c B. Thakkar b Timil Patel 40, N. Arjun Yadav c Parthiv Patel b Makda 59, D. Vinay Kumar c Parthiv Patel b Amit Singh 2, Ibrahim Khaleel c N. Modi b Amit Singh 0, I.S. Reddy c Parthiv Patel b Amit Singh 0, P. Kaushik Reddy b Makda 0, N.P. Singh (not out) 24, Pragyan Ojha c A. Bilakhia b Timil Patel 6, Extras (b-6, lb-4, nb-13): 23; Total (all out in 119.2 overs): 255.

Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-62, 3-151, 4-178, 5-190, 6-196, 7-200, 8-204, 9-236.

Gujarat bowling: A. Makda 32-8-79-3, Hitesh Majumdar 18-4-32-1, Amit Singh 30-9-59-3, Jayesh Makla 9-2-17-0, Timil Patel 23.2-11-43-3, H. Watekar 4-1-5-0, A. Bilakhia 3-0-10-0.

Gujarat — 2nd innings: Parthiv Patel (not out) 9, A. Bilakhia c & b I.S. Reddy 0, B. Thakkar (not out) 12, Extras (lb-1): 1; Total (for one wkt. in four overs): 22.

Fall of wicket: 1-1.

Hyderabad bowling: I.S. Reddy 2-0-12-1, Kaushik Reddy 2-0-9-0.

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