Date:27/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/27/stories/2007122754921800.htm

Sport - Cricket

Kotak guides Saurashtra to 465 for nine

Chennai: In what could prove to be the most significant innings of the Ranji Trophy Super League this season, Sitanshu Kotak guided Saurashtra to 465 for nine against Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.

Kotak, who arrived at the crease at the beginning of the fourth over on day one, was unbeaten on 162 at stumps on the second day. In a throwback to the influential defensive innings from the past, Kotak has faced 514 deliveries and struck 19 boundaries.

While Kotak displayed immense powers of concentration at No. 3 and held one end firm, Ravindra Jadeja contributed a strokeful 87 with eleven fours and two sixes. Mumbai could get eliminated if it fails to gain the lead in this Group ‘A’ clash.

The scores: Super League: At Mumbai: Saurashtra 465 for nine in 180 overs (S.H. Kotak 162 batting, C.A. Pujara 63, R. Jadeja 87, M. Hussain four for 93, M.G. Mangela four for 98) vs. Mumbai.

At Ratnagiri: Maharashtra 276 vs. Karnataka 239 for five in 91 overs (K.B. Pawan 102, C. Raghu 67).

At Hyderabad: Uttar Pradesh 336 in 106.3 overs (T.M. Srivatsava 81, P. Chawla 82, A. Khan 50, V. Sharma four for 73) & 28 for no loss in eight overs vs. Hyderabad 193 in 62.2 overs (M. Shakeer 49, P. Chawla four for 50, P. Gupta four for 55).

At Vadodara: Baroda 255 in 93 overs (P. Shah 44, S.D. Vohra 56 n.o., B. Mohanty four for 62) vs. Orissa 204 for three in 85 overs (S.S. Das 100 batting, P.R. Sinha 43 batting).

At Kolkata: Andhra 121 & 147 for six (H. Watekar 67, R. Bose four for 54) vs. Bengal 98 in 45.2 overs (P. Vijay Kumar five for 31).

At Dharmasala: Himachal Pradesh 280 & 19 without loss in seven overs vs. Rajasthan 218 in 81.2 overs (S. Vijay 88, V.S. Malik four for 51).

Plate League (Semifinals): At Nagpur: Kerala 357 in 122.3 overs (A. Sebastian 52, S.R. Nair 44, V.G. Nair 70, S. Anish 55 n.o.) vs. Railways 123 for three in 56 overs (H.D. Rawle 44 batting, S. Sanyal 40 batting).

At Delhi: Gujarat 192 & 98 for two in 43 overs vs. Madhya Pradesh 93 in 39.2 overs (A. Singh four for 31).