The setting was serene at the Kalpathi-SSN ground on Saturday; trees encircling the arena swayed in joy as a healthy breeze swept across. Despite the pleasant ambience, the cricket on view on the first day of the Kalpathi AGS-all India Buchi Babu tournament final failed to inspire.
The TNCA President’s XI’s bowling, for most part, was pedestrian.
The pacemen bowled on both sides of the pitch, the spinners did not impart enough revolutions on the ball to achieve the dip and the field placements lacked vision.
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On a pitch that was a tad sluggish, the bowlers either had to beat the batsmen with air-speed, defeat them in flight or operate with exemplary accuracy to create the sort of pressure that results in wickets.
Under the circumstances, the Hyderabad XI batsmen, inserted, did not complain. The team, guided by a well-made 90 (128b, 15x4) from skipper Akshath Reddy, progressed to a challenging 403 for six in its allotted 100 overs.
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The opening pair of Akshath and the left-handed Tanmay Agarwal (54, 97b, 6x4) put on 125 in 189 deliveries to provide Hyderabad a platform.
Paceman Sunil Sam ran in with aggression but could not settle down on a probing off-stump line. Antony Dhas has spirit but not the extra yard of pace. Sam, though, operated better as the day progressed achieving some reverse swing too.
Akshath is a compact right-hander with an easy, relaxed stance; he timed his strokes through covers with sound footwork. When the bowlers erred in line, he picked runs off his legs.
By the time Dhas consumed Agarwal on the cut, Hyderabad was up and running.
Gradually, the visitor constructed a solid edifice. It was puzzling why the host did not try to play on the minds of the batsmen by having at least two catchers near the bat.
Off-spinner M. Prabhu bowled without a short-leg and it sent the wrong signals. Left-arm spinner Rahil Shah was steady, not threatening.
Akshath was 10 shy of his hundred when he, top-edging an attempted pull, was picked up at mid-wicket off Sam.
Rohit Rayudu, Ambatti Rayudu’s cousin, made a patient 55 (153b, 7x4, 1x6). Towards the end, Akash Bhandari (53, 56b, 5x4, 1x6) and Ashish Reddy (69 n.o., 65b, 4x4, 3x6) cut loose to take the total beyond 400.
The scores:
Final (Day One): Hyderabad 403 for six in 100 overs (Tanmay Agarwal 54, Akshath Reddy 90, K. Sumanth 38, Rohit Rayudu 55, Akash Bhandari 53, Ashish Reddy 69 n.o., Sunil Sam three for 116) vs TNCA President’s XI.