Date:27/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/27/stories/2008112754081800.htm

Sport - Cricket

Mumbai salvages a draw

— PHOTO: K. RAMESH BABU

COMING GOOD: Hyderabad’s M.P. Arjun, who dismissed Rajasthan’s Rajesh Bishnoi, is congratulated by teammates.

Chennai: Determined batting by lower order batsmen salvaged a draw and a point for Mumbai against Saurashtra at Rajkot in their Ranji Trophy Super League match.

Following on and facing defeat at 89 for five on the fourth day, Mumbai was essentially saved by a fighting, ball-gobbling sixth-wicket partnership between Sairaj Bahutule (35 off 121 balls) and Ramesh Powar (23 not out off 171 deliveries).

Mumbai, which had conceded a 429-run lead, was 157 for seven after 93 overs of tenacious batting when the match concluded on Wednesday.

Gujarat, ending day four at 259 for six in its second innings against holder Delhi at Valsad, earned three points for gaining the first innings lead. Skipper Parthiv Patel made 71.

Losing its way

Rajasthan, pursuing a daunting 554 for the lead, lost its way from 382 for four to be dismissed for 405 by host Hyderabad. Off-spinner Syed Quadri provided the vital breakthrough dismissing the in-form Robin Bisht for 136.

Vaibhav Deshpande offered resistance with an unbeaten 73 but the rest of the Rajasthan batting caved in against pacemen M.P. Arjun (three for 62) and Ashwin Yadav (four for 67). Earlier in the day, Rajesh Bishnoi (97) was castled by Arjun.

Left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi’s six for 48 was the highlight of Karnataka’s 10-wicket win over Baroda in Bangalore. Resuming the day at 204 for four in its second innings, Baroda was bowled out for 235. Skipper Connor Williams, batting on 97 overnight, progressed to 137 before being prised out by Joshi.

Crucially, openers Robin Uthappa (44 not out) and K.B. Pawan (15 not out) enabled Karnataka reach its target of 60 without losing a wicket. This enabled the host gain an additional point given for an innings or a 10-wicket win.

Orissa, however, missed out on a bonus point losing a wicket during a successful chase of 87 against Punjab in Bhubaneshwar. Railways, requiring 90 for an outright win over Andhra, did so with seven wickets remaining in Delhi. Milind Tamhane made 44.

Left-arm spinner Praveen Gupta and leggie Piyush Chawla claimed three wickets each as Maharashtra, trailing by 94 runs in the first innings, was dismissed for 230 in the second.

The scores: Super League (Day four):

At Valsad: Gujarat 350 & 259 for six (P.K. Panchal 48, N. Patel 45, P. Patel 71) drew with Delhi 314. Gujarat 3, Delhi 1.

At Hyderabad: Hyderabad 553 & 33 without loss drew with Rajasthan 405 (G. Khoda 40, R. Bisht 136, R. Bishnoi 97, V. Deshpande 73 not out, A. Yadav four for 67). Hyderabad 3, Rajasthan 1.

At Bangalore: Baroda 169 & 285 (C. Williams 137, R. Solanki 66, S. Joshi six for 48) lost to Karnataka 395 & 60 without loss (R. Uthappa 44 not out). Karnataka 6, Baroda 0.

At Bhubaneshwar: Punjab 60 & 378 (K. Goel 58, U. Kaul 71, A. Kakkar 117, Gagandeep Singh 45 not out, D. Mohanty five for 72) lost to Orissa 352 & 87 for one. Orissa 5, Punjab 0.

At Delhi: Andhra 208 & 108 lost to Railways 227 & 90 for three (M. Tamhane 44). Railways 5, Andhra 0.

At Rajkot: Saurashtra 643 drew with Mumbai 214 & 157 for seven. Saurashtra 3, Mumbai 1.

At Kanpur: Maharashtra 221 & 230 (K.M. Jadhav 65, D.V. Shilamkar 56) lost to Uttar Pradesh 315 & 140 for two (T. Srivatsav 65 not out, Parvinder Singh 60). Uttar Pradesh 5, Maharashtra 0.