Date:15/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/15/stories/2008121554461800.htm

Sport - Cricket

Hyderabad takes first innings lead

HYDERABAD: Punjab’s Uday Kaul scored a brilliant century but his effort was not good enough to prevent Hyderabad from taking a vital first innings lead on the third day of the four-day Ranji Trophy Elite Group ‘A’ match at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium (Uppal) here on Sunday.

The 21-year-old, left-handed Kaul (106, 376 minutes, 279 balls, 8x4) was confidence personified in scoring his fourth Ranji hundred. In the company of the compact debutant Mayank Siddana (41, 162 minutes, 108 balls, 3x4), he put on 86 runs.

Fast bowler M.P. Arjun sent back Siddana in the first over after the break. The hard working fast bowler Ashwin Yadav then forced Manpreet Gony to drag one on to his stumps.

In the next over, Arjun could have dismissed Kaul (then on 71) but Amol Shinde missed a simple catch in the slip cordon. Kaul then in the company of Amanpreet Singh put on 50 for the last wicket to take the score to 291.

Strangely, D.B. Ravi Teja (as stand in captain for the injured N. Arjun Yadav), did not give even a single over to off-spinner Ahmed Quadri on Sunday.

The scores: Hyderabad — 1st innings: 335

Punjab — 1st innings: S. Sohal c A. Kumar b M.P. Arjun 24, K. Goel c & b Ashwin Yadav 44, R.I. Singh c A. Kumar b Shiv Shankar 22, P. Dharmani lbw b Ashwin Yadav 1, Uday Kaul lbw b Shiv Shankar 106, A. Kakkar lbw b Shiv Shankar 27, V. Khanna c Shinde b A. Quadri 0, M. Siddana c A. Kumar b M.P. Arjun 41, M. Gony b Ashwin Yadav 0, S. Singh c A. Kumar b M.P. Arjun 0, Amanpreet Singh (not out) 15; Extras: (b-2, lb-3, w-2, nb-4) 11; Total: (in 121 overs) 291.

Fall of wickets: 1-37, 2-78, 3-80, 4-101, 5-147, 6-148, 7-237, 8-239, 9-241.

Hyderabad bowling: Shoaib 23-6-47-0, M.P. Arjun 26-4-54-3, Shiv Shankar 32-6-76-3, Ashwin 21-5-68-3, Shinde 9-1-14-0, Ravi Teja 4-0-10-0, Quadri 4-0-11-1, Suman 2-0-6-0.

Hyderabad — 2nd innings: T. Suman c Kakkar b V. Khanna 16, D.B. Ravi Teja (run out) 4, S.A. Pai (batting) 31, A. Shinde (batting) 16; Extras: (nb-1) 1; Total: (for two wkts, in 32 overs) 68.

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-26.

Punjab bowling: Gony 10-4-27-0, Amanpreet 10-5-15-0, Varun 7-2-20-1, Sarabjit 5-2-6-0. — Principal Correspondent