The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Karthick powers TNCA to title

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Karthick powers TNCA to title

Principal Correspondent

— Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

A HAPPY BUNCH: The TNCA XI team members are all smiles after winning the KSCA all-India invitation tournament.

Bangalore: Opener K.B. Arun Karthick’s 97 powered TNCA XI to a title triumph in the KSCA all-India invitation cricket tournament, here on Saturday.

In the final that concluded at the RSI ground, TNCA defeated Air India by three wickets with 30 overs to spare.

Chasing Air India’s 196, TNCA scored 200 for seven in 64 overs, just past lunch and much ahead of the heavy downpour that lashed the City.

Brisk partnership

Resuming at 24 for two on the second day, Arun and N. Einstein shared a brisk 45-run third-wicket partnership. Einstein (14), Suresh Kumar (12) and K.H. Gopinath (16) played the bit parts but helped Arun hustle ahead as the runs came in a flurry.

Perhaps the TNCA think-tank had one eye on the skies and obviously wanted to beat the rains.

Karthick, after an innings (97, 129b, 17x4) that was a mix of the anchor as well as adrenaline, failed to post his century as seamer Mondeep Mangela ruffled his pads.

At 157 for six, TNCA however was well positioned to canter home and though an injured Abhinav Mukund (12), nursing a sore leg, succumbed to Iresh Saxena, the winning post was breached through an undefeated 25-run eighth-wicket partnership between skipper R. Ashwin (33 not out) and Ganapathy, who carted a six towards the close to whittle down the target.

Fittingly, Ashwin struck the winning runs with a cut that sped past point, while next-man in L. Balaji broke into a grin and started to remove his pads.

For Air India, seamer Siddharth Trivedi’s three for 54 offered some futile consolation.

Spin legend B.S. Chandrashekar presided over the valedictory function.