Date:18/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/18/stories/2007111861011800.htm

Sport - Cricket

Andhra takes lead

Sports Reporter

ANANTAPUR: Andhra achieved its primary objective in the contest against Uttar Pradesh in the Super league Ranji Trophy cricket match by clinching a 28-run first innings lead on the penultimate day at the Anantapur Sports Village grounds here on Saturday.

At close of play, U.P. was 105 for two in the second innings. Earlier, Andhra’s innings ended at 326.

Andhra opener L.N. Prasad Reddy’s scintillating 132 (319b, 449m, 16x4) and the six-wicket haul by the gangling lad from Ghaziabad, Sudeep Tyagi, were the highlights of the day.

Incidentally, Tyagi drew the attention by his impressive 10-wicket haul against Orissa on his debut.

Tyagi had M.S.K. Prasad trapped in front and later lured Y. Gnaneswara Rao to unleash an uppish stroke.

The quick dismissals brought U.P. back into the game and the exit of the well-set Prasad Reddy forced Kaif to change the game plan by bringing the fielders into the circle.

Prasad Reddy, who was a picture of concentration, reached the three-figure mark, his fifth in his First Class career, with a rasping cover drive in Tyagi’s 25th over.

With seven wickets down for 279, Andhra was in a spot of bother with 20 runs needed to overhaul U.P.’s total.

However, Kalyan and M. Suresh threw caution to the winds with some lusty and miscued hits to help Andhra overcome the crisis.

Andhra’s Kalyan Krishna and G. Shankar Rao gave their team a flying start in the second innings by dismissing the U.P. openers R. Prakash and S. Shukla respectively.

The scores:

U.P. (1st innings): 298

Andhra (1st innings): H. Watekar c A. Khan b S. Tyagi 11, L.N. Prasad Reddy b S. Tyagi 132, A.S.K. Varma c R. Mishra b A. Khan 61, M.S.K. Prasad lbw b S. Tyagi 32, Gnaneswara Rao c A. Khan b S. Tyagi 10, Md. Faiq c A. Khan b S. Tyagi 5, M. Suresh lbw b P. Chawla 17, G. Shankar Rao c A. Khan b S. Tyagi 5, K. Krishna c. S. Raina b R. Shukla 21, I. Raju (not out) 7, P.V. Kumar b P. Chawla 1, Extras (b-5, lb-11, w-9, nb-5): 24; Total (in 135.3 overs): 326.

Fall of wickets: 1-26, 2-150, 3-214, 4-258, 5-268, 6-273, 7-279, 8-312, 9-318.

UP bowling: A. Khan 30-11-53-1, S. Tyagi 41-12-95-6, R. Mishra 21-7- 45-0, R. Prakash 5-2-15-0, P. Chawla 21.3- 4-59-2, S. Shukla 5-2-12-0, R. Shukla 12-3-31-1.

U.P. (2nd innings): R. Prakash c M.S.K. Prasad b Krishna 42, S. Shukla c Watekar b G. Shankar Rao 18, T. Srivasta (batting) 17, M. Kaif (batting) 23, Extras (lb-5): 5; Total (two wkts., 33 overs): 105.

Fall of wickets: 1-59, 2-78.

Andhra bowling: K. Krishna 8-3-28-1, V. Kumar 8-2-21-0, Md. Faiq 1-0-1-0, I. Raju 2-0-13-0, G. S. Rao 8-1-24-1, M. Suresh 6-2-13-0.