Date:01/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/01/stories/2008080162462000.htm

Sport - Cricket

Match-saving knock by Sharath

Sports Reporter

Chennai: No outright results were achieved on the final day of the fifth round of TNCA first division league matches on Thursday, as Vijay CC maintained its top spot, adding five points on the basis of its first innings lead against Young Stars CC at ICL-Gurunanak.

Young Stars, on 31 for one overnight, batted on till the match was called off at tea, making 211 for six. T. Karunamurthy made an unbeaten 62, and added 104 for the sixth wicket with L.N. Prasad Reddy, who played 153 balls in scoring 38.

S. Sharath batted for over five hours to finish unbeaten on 151 as UFCC (T Nagar) saved its match against Jolly Rovers, following on.

The southpaw played serenely with the lower order, fashioning partnerships of 90 with B. Vijay Rahul, 118 with Shravan Krishnan, and an unbroken 76 with D.J. Gokulakrishnan for the sixth, eighth and ninth wickets respectively. Off spinner V.R.S. Guru Kedarnath took five of the eight UFCC wickets that fell.

At CPT-IP, India Pistons, 121 for eight overnight in its second innings, ended with 207, thanks to a last-wicket stand of 73 between C. Suresh and M. Ashwin that consumed 31.3 overs. Set 177 to win in 45 overs, Grand Slam was on 95 for three in 36 when the match was called off.

Vasu sizzles

Veteran left arm spinner D. Vasu’s four-wicket haul was instrumental in Alwarpet CC bowling Southern Railway Institute out for 233, and gaining five points at Southern Railway. Opener S. Raghunath made a valiant 109 for SRI, and was ninth out, having been at the crease for nearly four and a half hours.

The game was called off at tea, with Alwarpet on 129 for three, opener R. Rohith unbeaten on 55.

The match between Indian Bank and Aruna CC at MAC was called off after nine mandatory overs as Indian Bank finished on 157 for six in the third innings. P. Sathish, who picked up a five-wicket haul as Aruna declared at 342 for nine, scored 66.

The Parry’s-Globe Trotters match at Murugappa ground ended with both sides getting three points,

Globe Trotters losing five wickets for 286 in response to Parry’s 401. Praveen Srivatsan, Y. Venugopal Rao and keeper U. Sushil made half centuries.

The scores: At ICL-Gurunanak: Young Stars CC 172 and 211 for six in 82 overs (T. Karunamurthy 62 not out) drew with Vijay CC 296 for eight decl. Points: Vijay CC 5, Young Stars 2.

At IIT-Chemplast: Jolly Rovers 474 for nine decl. drew with UFCC (T Nagar) 123 and 397 for eight in 133 overs (S. Sharath 151 not out, B. Vijay Rahul 48, Shravan Krishnan 54, D.J. Gokulakrishnan 46 not out, V.R.S. Guru Kedarnath five for 93); Points: Jolly Rovers 5, UFCC (T Nagar) 2.

At CPT-IP: India Pistons 100 and 207 in 116.5 overs (M. Kaushik Gandhi four for 38) drew with Grand Slam 131 and 95 for three in 36 overs; Points: Grand Slam 5, India Pistons 2.

At S. Railway: Alwarpet CC 359 and 129 for three decl. in 38 overs (R. Rohith 55 not out, T. Dhanasekar 41) drew with Southern Railway Institute 233 in 72.1 overs (S. Raghunath 109, D. Vasu four for 71); Points: Alwarpet 5, SRI 2.

At MAC: Indian Bank 193 and 151 for six in 64 overs (P. Sathish 66) drew with Aruna CC 342 for nine dec. in 102 overs (S. Aniruddha 49, K. Noorul Riaz 85, P. Shijit Chandran 107, P. Sathish five for 102); Points: Aruna CC 5, Indian Bank 2.

At Murugappa: Parry’s 401 drew with Globe Trotters 286 for five in 114 overs (X. Thalaivan Sargunam 42, M. Praveen Srivatsan 57, Y. Venugopal Rao 55, U. Sushil 55 not out); Points: Parry’s 3, Globe Trotters 3.