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India Blue begins its campaign in style

S. Sabanayakan

CRICKET / Vijay and Manoj Tiwary put up a brave fight for India Red

— 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: India Blue could not have bargained for a better start to its N.K.P. Salve Challenger Trophy campaign at the Barabati Stadium here on Thursday. Having set a target of 236 for victory in 50 overs, the defending champion stopped India Red at 186 to win with a bonus point.

India Red failed to get a good start and failed to build partnerships throughout the innings.

But for the 78-run fifth-wicket stand between M. Vijay and Manoj Tiwary, the end could have been far more embarrassing. Opening the innings, Vijay saw partner Parthiv Patel and pinch-hitter Piyush Chawla going back early. The team was reduced to 63 for three in the 16th over when Badrinath was dismissed for 10.

Vijay did not try fancy shots to start with. He opened up later with a flurry of shots when he found Tiwary willing to graft on this slow paced pitch. In his 107-ball stay, Vijay hit nine sweetly timed boundaries and two sixes.

He was finally out to R. Ashwin, taken at long on for a well-made 89. With the lower-order batsman wilting, Tiwary remained unbeaten on 45 (74b, 1x4).

Earlier, two entertaining knocks by opener Robin Uthappa (94) and later Irfan Pathan (43) lifted Blue to 235 for nine in 50 overs.

Opening partnership

Uthappa’s opening wicket association with Ajinkya Rahane for 87 runs in 16.4 overs proved to be the best of the innings.

Skipper Yuvraj Singh strode in at Rahane’s fall but did not last long. The Punjab left-hander went for a big shot only to find his Red counterpart S. Badrinath completing a brilliant catch.

Off-spinner Mohnish Parmar then quickly dismissed Virat Kohli and Dinesh Karthik. Uthappa then holed out to Manoj Tiwary at mid-wicket off Rohit Sharma.

Irfan Pathan, a doubtful starter on the eve of the match, came in and took charge. Supported by the lower-order, the Baroda left-hander produced power-packed shots to hit a quick-fire 43 off 44 balls with four hits to the ropes and one over it

The scores: India Blue: R. Uthappa c Tiwary b Sharma 94, A. Rahane c Chawla b Balaji 28, Yuvraj c Badrinath b V. Kumar 6, V. Kohli c & b Parmar 18, D. Karthik c Patel b Parmar 0, R. Singh b Balaji 17, Irfan 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: (l-11, w-1) 12; Total: (for nine 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, R. Vinay Kumar 7-0-30-1, Chawla 10-0-54-1, Parmar 10-1-36-2, Rohit Sharma 3-0-19-1.

India Red: P. Patel c & b Irfan 6, M. Vijay c Sangwan b Ashwin 89, P. Chawla c Karthik b Sangwan 9, S. Badrinath lbw b Nanda 10, Rohit c R. Singh b Trivedi 2, M. Tiwary (not out) 45, A. Nayar st Karthik b Yuvraj 1, Praveen b Ashwin 2, R Vinay Kumar lbw b Nanda 5, L. Balaji b Ashwin 1, M. Parmar lbw b Irfan 4; Extras: (b-5, lb-5, w-2) 12; Total: (in 45.3 overs) 186.

Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-27, 3-63, 4-66, 5-144, 6-149, 7-158, 8-177, 9-178.

India Blue bowling: Irfan 6.3-2-24-2, Sangwan 6-1-17-1, Trivedi 6-1-27-1, Uthappa 1-0-11-0, Nanda 8-0-35-2, Yuvraj 8-0-35-1, Ashwin 10-0-27-3.

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