Suman & Danny spin city victory

Tirumalsetti Suman and Danny Derek Prince struck a half-century each as Hyderabad defeated Kerala by seven wickets to start their Moin-ud-Dowla Gold Cup cricket tournament campaign in style on Wednesday.

The hosts required 157 runs to win in their second innings after left-arm pacer C.V. Milind (3/52) and leftarm spinner Pragyan Ojha (3/83) were instrumental in bowling Kerala out for 203 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. Suman then followed his century in the first innings with a fine 56 that came off 59 balls and included 10 boundaries. Danny Derek Prince proved an ably ally, remaining unbeaten on a 77-ball 56 that contained nine hits to the fence and saw the game through in the company of the promising B. Sandeep (31 not out).

However, the second home team in the tournament, the Hyderabad President’s XI, lost their match against Karnataka at the ECIL ground. After conceding a four-run first innings lead, the city side made 224 for 7 in the stipulated 40 overs in their second essay. The total was built on a stubborn 79 by the gritty Ahmed Quadri — who hit one boundary and two sixes in his 87-ball knock — and a fine 41 by Abhinav Kumar. But Karnataka hit back through Mayank Agarwal, who smashed 98 and Karun Nayar, who hit 81, to overhaul the target in 38.2 overs with six wickets in hand.

At the NFC ground, leftarm spinner Manan Sharma followed his first innings’ five-wicket haul with another five-for to script Delhi’s massive win over Goa. Having taken a handsome lead in the first innings, Delhi restricted Goa to 243 for 7 in the second with Manan returning with figures of 5 for 57. Delhi rattled 120 for 1 to seal the issue.