Sport - Cricket

Parida props up Air India

Bangalore: R.R. Parida’s unbeaten 71 and seamer Siddharth Trivedi’s twin strikes late in the day were the lone moments of cheer for Air India on a day largely dominated by TNCA XI after L. Balaji ruled the morning session of the KSCA all-India invitation cricket tournament final that commenced at the RSI ground here on Friday.

Air India, stung by Balaji’s spells (three for 16), gained some breath later through a 77-run sixth-wicket partnership between Parida (71 n.o., 128b, 7x4) and Rajat Bhatia (38).

Air India eventually scored 196 in 81 overs and at close TNCA was 24 for two in seven overs with Trivedi rapping M. Vijay’s pads and having R. Srinivasan fend one to the slips.

After overnight rain delayed the start by 45 minutes, TNCA skipper R. Ashwin opted to field and watched Balaji strike in the very first over, dismissing Robin Uthappa for a blob.

Later in his fourth over, Balaji accounted for the other opener Sushanth Marathe, also for a duck, again caught by wicket-keeper K.H. Gopinath.

At five for two on a pitch that assisted the seamers, Air India was searching for its anchor and with Balaji scalping Mohammad Kaif (19) and Hrishikesh Kanitkar (30) getting run-out, the alarm bells were on.

It got worse when Niraj Patel succumbed to left-arm seamer V. Rajinikanth.

At 64 for five, Parida and Rajat played the waiting game, nudging their singles and cemented their sixth-wicket partnership with some sensible batting.

Bhatia did survive a run-out scare, but failed to capitalise and found the fielder at long-off off leg-spinner Arun Karthick, who later effected a smart diving caught-and-bowled dismissal to force Chandela back to the pavilion.

The tail failed to wag and Parida was left stranded. For TNCA, besides Balaji, Ganapathy, Rajinikanth and Arun Kartick got two wickets each.

The scores: Final: Air India 196 in 81 overs (R.R. Parida 71 n.o.) vs. TNCA 24 for two in seven overs.

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