Date:03/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/03/stories/2007120360111800.htm

Sport - Cricket

Behera scores unbeaten century

Principal Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The 23-year-old Niranjan Behera could not have timed his maiden Ranji hundred (102 batting, 230 balls, 14x4) better as Orissa grabbed the first innings lead against Hyderabad on the second day of the four-day Ranji Trophy super league cricket match at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium (Uppal) here on Sunday.

The visitor finished the day at 248 for three in reply to Hyderabad’s first innings score of 240.

Orissa took the lead when P. Jayachandra walked down the track and lofted part-time spinner D.B. Ravi Teja over the long-off for a huge six.

That Hyderabad employed eight bowlers was a reflection of the hopeless performance on a pitch which played true.

Nothing unusual

Except for the ball from left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha which kicked up from a good-length spot and spun away from the right-handed Parida to be caught low at first slip by Amol Shinde, there was nothing unusual either in the pitch or in the bowling attack.

Interestingly, it was off-spinner Shinde who looked the best, hurrying the batsmen with a better line and length.

But the day belonged to Behera.

Earlier, Hyderabad, resuming at 201 for eight, folded up for 240, scoring 39 runs in 15 overs as Debasis Mohanty completed a five-wicket haul.

The scores:

Hyderabad — 1st innings: S. Daniel Manohar c N. Behera b S. Saighal 41, D.B. Ravi Teja c H. Das b D. Mohanty 81, S. Anoop Pai c N. Behera b P. Jayachandra 6, N. Arjun Yadav c S.S. Das b S. Saighal 7, Amol Shinde c R.R. Parrida b D. Mohanty 2, Santosh Yadav lbw b D. Mohanty 2, M.P. Arjun c S.S. Das b D. Mohanty 19, Habib Ahmed c D. Mohanty b S. Saighal 0, P. Ojha c S. Saighal b D. Mohanty 33, Ashwin Yadav (not out) 28, Lalit Mohan lbw b S. Saighal 9, Extras (b-1 , lb-7, w-1, nb-3): 12; Total (in 96 overs): 240.

Fall of wickets: 1-97, 2-114, 3-137, 4-140, 5-142, 6-143, 7-144, 8-184, 9-218.

Orissa bowling: D. Mohanty 32-9-63-5, P. Das 16-5-42-0, Jayachandra 9-1-39-1, R. Mohanty 6-1-18-0, N. Behera 3-2-9-0, S. Saighal 30-6-61-4.

Orissa — 1st innings: Bikas Pati c H. Ahmed b Ashwin 24, S.S. Das c D.B. Ravi Teja b P. Ojha 38, N. Behera (batting) 102, R.R. Parrida c A. Shinde b P. Ojha 44, P. Jayachandra (batting) 29, Extras (b-4, lb-2, nb-5): 11; Total (three wkts. in 77 overs): 248.

Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-99, 3-189.

Hyderabad bowling: M.P. Arjun 14-2-52-0, Ashwin 10-1-50-1, Lalit 9-0-33-0, Daniel 1-0-4-0, Ojha 23-10-46-2, Shinde 14-1-30-0, Santosh 3-0-11-0, Ravi Teja 2-0-10-0, Arjun Yadav 1-0-6-0.