Sport - Cricket

Uthappa, Pathan propel India Blue to fighting total

— Photo: K. Pichumani

IN GOOD TOUCH: Robin Uthappa of India Blue was in his element during the Challenger Trophy match against India Red at Cuttack on Thursday.

CUTTACK: Two entertaining knocks, one from opener Robin Uthappa and the other by lower-order batsman Irfan Pathan, took defending champion India Blue to a fighting total of 235 for nine in 50 overs in the first match of the N.K.P. Salve Challenger Trophy at the Barabati Stadium here on Thursday.

India Blue won the toss and rightly decided to use the fresh strip first. Openers Uthappa and Ajinkya Rahane negotiated the new ball bowlers Praveen Kumar and L. Balaji quite confidently.

It was the Mumbai opener who showed aggression first, picking Balaji for special treatment. At the other end, Uthappa was content to rotate the strike.

Uthappa settled down nicely before launching into attack mode. He played strokes all round the wicket and was particularly severe on leg-spinner Piyush Chawla.

The Uttar Pradesh spinner conceded 22 runs in his first two overs, with Uthappa even hoisting him for a six.

The opening-wicket partnership of 87 in 16.4 overs turned out to be the best of the innings. Uthappa went past the half-century mark in 53 balls and even as the two threatened to run riot, Rahane fell. He played across to a short-pitched ball from Balaji only to see Chawla at mid-wicket pull off a stunning catch. Rahane’s 28 contained four sweetly-timed boundaries.

Skipper Yuvraj Singh strode in to join a rampaging Uthappa but did not last long. While trying to play his favourite heave on the leg-side, the India Blue skipper skied the ball to wide mid-on where S. Badrinath turned back, sprinted and dived to take a brilliant catch.

India Blue then lost two quick wickets — Virat Kohli and Dinesh Karthik — to young off-spinner Mohnish Parmar.

Uthappa, who survived a stumping chance off Chawla early in the innings, was full of confidence and even employed the reverse sweep to good effect against the spinners. He moved into the 90s and looked well set to reach a hundred.

However, Rohit Sharma, bowling his off-breaks, put an end to Uthappa’s fine knock. Uthappa’s 94, which came off 106 balls, had nine delectable boundaries and a six.

Pathan, who was a doubtful starter on the eve of the match, came in and took charge. The Baroda all-rounder, supported by the lower-order, hit a quick-fire 43 off 44 balls with four hits to the ropes and one over it.

Three Red bowlers — Praveen, Balaji and Parmar — took two wickets apiece but it was Parmar who impressed the most. He came on to bowl at a crucial juncture. Parmar was not only economical but also troubled the batsmen by spinning the ball both ways.

The scores:

India Blue: R. Uthappa c Tiwary b Sharma 94, A. Rahane c Chawla b Balaji 28, Yuvraj c Badrinath b Vinay 6, V. Kohli c & b Parmar 18, D. Karthik c Patel b Parmar 0, R. Singh b Balaji 17, I. Pathan c Tiwary b Praveen 43, R. Ashwin b Chawla 11, P. Sangwan b Praveen 2, C. Nanda (not out) 1, S. Trivedi (not out) 3; Extras (lb-11, w-1): 12; Total (for nine wkts. in 50 overs): 235.

Fall of wickets: 1-87, 2-94, 3-132, 4-132, 5-165, 6-191, 7-222, 8-231, 9-231.

India Red bowling: Praveen 10-0-34-2, Balaji 10-0-51-2, Vinay 7-0-30-1, Chawla 10-0-54-1, Parmar 10-1-36-2, Rohit 3-0-19-1.

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