For most of Monday, the cricket was like what Groucho Marx famously described during his visit to Lord’s in 1954 — a wonderful cure for insomnia.
Any chance of final day excitement in the opening Duleep Trophy fixture at the NPR College Ground ended when unfit ground conditions — there were problems at the bowling run-up area — allowed only seven-and-a-half overs of play.
The match between India Red and India Green ended in a tame draw, with the former taking the first-innings points.
Even this eminently forgettable day will be remembered with fondness by two players — Sanjay Ramaswamy and B. Aparajith.
Both scored hundreds and added 210 for the unfinished third wicket. Sanjay was unbeaten on 123 (245b, 9x4, 2x6) and Aparajith 101 (205b, 7x4, 3x6) as India Red was 262 for one when stumps were drawn for the final time.
Aparajith, though, wasn’t the first batsman from his family in Chennai to score a hundred in this match. His twin brother, B. Indrajith, had made an elegant 109 on Sunday.
“I was determined to score a hundred,” Aparajith said. “I am happy that Indrajith also got a century. It was important for him as he is coming back from a shoulder injury. This is the first time we both are scoring hundreds in the same First Class match, though we have done it before in other matches.”
Abhinav misses out
Aparajith had come to the wicket after the fall of his captain Abhinav Mukund who was the only one to get out this day. The opener edged to Indrajith at second slip off Ankit Rajpoot.
He would surely be regretting his dismissal, as he missed out on batting against a friendly attack on a friendlier track.
Aparajith and Sanjay, however, were in no mood to let go of the opportunity. They were willing to grind initially and changed gears, clearing the boundary on a few occasions.
Sanjay, the Vidarbha opener who has had a great year, was the first to reach the milestone when he smashed left-arm spinner Vikash Mishra for a huge six over long-off. “After missing out in the first innings, I wanted to hit a hundred in the second,” he said.
In the next match, beginning on August 23, India Red will take on India Blue.
The scores:
India Red — 1st innings: 337.
India Green — 1st innings: 309.
India Red – 2nd innings: Sanjay Ramaswamy (not out) 123, Abhinav Mukund c Indrajith b Rajpoot 31, B. Aparajith (not out) 101, Extras (lb-1, nb-5, w-1) 7; Total (for one wkt. decl. in 79 overs): 262.
Fall of wicket: 1-52.
India Green bowling: Rajpoot 11-2-40-1, Dinda 7-0-29-0, Vignesh 5-0-16-0, Saxena 17-2-47-0, Mishra 25-3-68-0, Chopra 12-0-55-0, Panchal 2-1-6-0.
Man-of-the-Match: Rajneesh Gurbani.
India Red 3 points, India Green 1.
