Delhi fail to take first innings lead vs Hyderabad

NEWDELHI: Tanmay Agarwal and Rohit Rayudu scored a half-century each in the second innings to ensure a draw for Hyderabad against Delhi in an Elite group B Ranji Trophy match in Hyderabad on Friday. Hyderabad took three points on the basis of first innings lead while Delhi had to be satisfied with one point. Hyderabad scored 460 in the first innings while Delhi scored 339. In the second innings, Hyderabad reached 156/4 at stumps. Starting Day 4 on 245/6, Delhi lower order added 94 runs, courtesy Lalit Yadav’s 77, before getting dismissed for 339.

TN SECURE LEAD

ONGOLE (ANDHRA PRADESH): Tamil Nadu’s lower order helped the team secure the first innings lead and three points against Andhra on the final day of the Elite Group B match on Friday.

The visiting side flirted with

danger before going past Andhra’s total. Tamil Nadu slipped to 208 for 7 and 214 for 8 before going past the line.

Apart from B Aparajith (57),

knocks by J Kousik (33) and R Sai Kishore (27 n.o.) ensured TN got three points from the draw. TN have five points from three games. 177 and 141 (S Prabhudessai 36, AH Hooda 6/54). Haryana won by 143 runs

Srinagar: Tripura 124 and 358 (SK Patel 112, W raza 6/78) vs J&K 442 and 43/2. J&K won by 8 wickets New Delhi: Services 260 and 225/2 (R Chauhan 114*) vs Uttar Pradesh 535/9d. Match drawn

UTTARAKHAND GO TOP

BHUBANESWAR: Uttarakhand jumped to the top of the Plate Group table with an innings and 178-run win over Sikkim Friday.

Overnight 27/2 after following on, Sikkim folded for 140 in just 48.5 overs with Deepak Dhapola claiming 4/44 to help them secure a third win on the trot.

Uttarakhand bagged seven including a bonus point to consolidate their position atop the standings with 20 points from three matches. Meghalaya (13 points) also climbed past Sikkim on net run rate, following their six-wicket win over Nagaland in Shillong with left-arm spinner Aditya Singhania bagging his maiden five-wicket haul.

Sikkim batsmen provided hardly any resistance with eight of their batsmen failing to get even double digits. It was once again Milind Kumar who waged the lone battle and top-scored with 61. The former Delhi batsman had scored 133 in the first innings. But after Dhopola dismissed him in the 44.2 overs it was a matter of time as the last four added just eight runs to cap a humiliating defeat. Though the wickets have become slower from the 19992000 days, there is still extra pace and bounce (compared to other places). You have to get used to it, know the length from where you can leave the ball; know the length from where you can play on the front foot. I have seen, if players have a positive mindset, only then can they succeed in Australia.

RANJI TROPHY: ROUND 3, DAY 4

It has come as a surprise because I still remember in the 1999-2000 series we lost against Queensland in three days’ time, and I was surprised to see the quality of first-class teams in Australia. But on my 2003-04, 2007-08 tours, I felt the quality of their first-class cricket was going down. Australia always had great bench strength because there was a time when the Australia A side beat the Aus- It should not be; there is enough talent in the team. What we saw in England, Kohli had to do the bulk of the scoring, which, I am hoping, will not happen in Australia because we want other batsmen to contribute. Kohli is at the top of his game. You will always miss Warner and Smith. Having said that, every Board has its own priorities, and at the moment the priority for Cricket Australia is to make sure the players take notice of their attitude and their approach.