Sport - Cricket

Tamil Nadu to take on Baroda

BARODA: The overlapping of the Test series with the 2008-2009 Ranji Trophy Elite League games will force the coaches to rearrange their resources.

Teams with depth in talent manage to convert adversity into opportunity, as Tamil Nadu and Baroda hope to do in the fifth round Group ‘B’ tie commencing on Friday at the Motibaug ground.

Prolific run-getter M Vijay and middle-order bat S. Badrinath are missing from the visitor batting line-up while the home side go into the four-day match without strike bowler Munaf Patel.

Tamil Nadu coach W.V. Raman will bank on skipper Dinesh Karthik, openers Arun Karthik and Abhinav Mukund and middle-order bat S. Vidyut to come good against a Baroda attack that can bowl sides out on the lively Motibaug wicket.

The home team, guided by Paras Mhambrey, has put together a mix of experience and talent capable of exploiting the home conditions to the limit.

Mhambrey said: “I’m working towards developing the youngsters so that in future we have the bench strength. I’m looking after the academy, grooming youngsters and overseeing the Ranji team preparations.”

The teams (from): Tamil Nadu: D. Karthik (capt. & wk), A. Mukund, Suresh Kumar, R. Ashwin, C. Ganapathy, C. Suresh, S. Vidyut, P. Amarnath, L. Balaji, Arun Karthik, R. Prasanna, N. Einstein, V. Yomahesh, R. Srinivasan and H Gopinath. Coach: W.V. Raman

Baroda: C. Williams (capt.), S. Parab, A. Bilakhia, R. Solanki, Y. Pathan, Pinal Shah (wk), Irfan Pathan, Irfan Pathan (sr), R. Pawar, A. Argal, S. Veragi, S.Gaekwad, S. Solanki, S. Vohra and Swapnil Singh. Coach: Paras Mhambrey

Umpires: R. Deshpande and K. Hariharan. Match referee: R. Jadeja.

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