Date:15/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/15/stories/2008071556041800.htm

Sport - Cricket

Kancheepuram wins title

— PHOTO: R.M. RAJARATHINAM

THE CHAMPIONS: The Kancheepuram team, winner of the Jaya Educational Trust Trophy inter-district cricket tournament.

TIRUCHI: Holder Kancheepuram defeated Coimbatore by two-wickets in a keenly contested final of the Jaya Educational Trust Trophy inter-district under-16 cricket tournament here on Monday.

Electing to field, Kancheepuram grabbed three quick wickets to put Coimbatore on the backfoot.

Dheer Bhimani and Aushik Srinivas steadied the ship with a 62-run fourth wicket partnership. The latter was then involved in another important partnership with Bharath Chezian to take the score past 100.

But the Kancheepuram bowlers came back strongly to dismiss Coimbatore for 146. Mohammed Imran scalped four wickets.

In reply, Kancheepuram made a shaky start losing two wickets with just 25 on the board. V. Vijayanand (60) dragged the defending champion out of trouble. He had three fruitful partnerships. With five wickets in hand and needing just 18 to win off seven overs, Kancheepuram was heading for an easy win. But the Coimbatore bowlers had other intentions. They came up with a valiant effort to reduce their opponents to 143 for eight.

However, Imran, who earlier did the trick with the ball, struck the winning run, a boundary, much to the delight of his teammates.

The scores: Final: Coimbatore 146 in 40 overs (Dheer Bhimani 36, Bharath Chezian 34, R. Aushik Srinivas 30, Mohammed Imran four for 28, S.R. Harikrish three for 23) lost to Kancheepuram 147 for eight in 38.3 overs (V. Vijayanand 60, S. Niranjan 33).