UP batsmen hit 66 in Tendulkar’s 13 overs
LUCKNOW : Uttar Pradesh batsmen accumulated 66 runs from Arjun Tendulkar’s 13 overs at a strike rate of 5.08 runs per over and posted a challenging total against hosts Mumbai on Day One of their four-day Under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy match in Mumbai on Monday.
Arjun took two wickets with one maiden at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy BKC, but it was Atharva Vinod Ankolekar, who remained most impressive with red cherry with 4/81 as last year runners-up Uttar Pradesh ended the day at 320/8 in 91 overs. Though Atharva had opener and skipper Aryan Sharma (9) in his very first over while Mumbai chose to field first after winning the toss, the Mumbai bowlers had to struggle hard for every wicket even then.
Fellow opener Shivam Bansal (47, 72b, 8x4) alongwith Ansh Yadav added 80-run for the second wicket. Before being bowled by Arjun, Ansh struck 196-ball 81, which contained seven fours and two sixes.
This, however, made little difference to UP, which continued to enjoy in the middle fearlessly. Sameer Rizvi made 56 in 64 balls with the help of five fours and three sixes while adding 88-run for the third wicket with Ansh, and then scored 65-run for the fourth wicket with keeper-batsman Dhruv Chand Jurel.
The real action for Uttar Pradesh began after the first drink break in the post lunch session as the wickets started tumbling on regular intervals with three batsmen Sameer Choudhary (1), Badal S Baliyan (9) and Purnank Tyagi (7) failing to show their class and UP were reduced to 260/7 in 72nd over. But a 59-run eighth wicket stand between Dhruv and Akshay Sain (28, 58bm 3x4, 1x6) helped Uttar Pradesh cross 300-run mark. Dhruv looked all set for yet another big knock this season, hitting an unbeaten 80, which came off 120 balls with the help of 12 hits to the fence. Mohit Jangra (0) was giving him company at close of stumps on Monday.
UP BOWLERS SHINE
After facing a lot of frustration on the penultimate day of their four-day Under-23 Col CK Nayudu Trophy match against Mumbai on Sunday, former champions Uttar Pradesh bowlers came up with a much better show on the final day, helping the side collect three points on the basis of 186-run first innings lead. Harshvardhan took 3/91, whereas Wajid Ali (2/92) and Boby Yadav (2/89) shared four wickets between them to skittle out Mumbai for 435 in 123.5 overs after Uttar Pradesh scored a mammoth 621 in their innings, at the Kamla Club Ground.
After resuming at the overnight score of 295/4, opener Bhupen Lalwani could add just 10 runs to his overnight score of 156 before being caught and bowled by Harshvardhan. Other batsman Siddharth Akre too could add six runs before being bowled by Harshvardhan.
But later, Sairaj B Patil (40), Krutik Hanagavdi (41) and Aquib Kureshi (37) continued to defy UP bowlers.
With no hope of an outright win in the remaining time on the final day of the match on Monday, Uttar Pradesh chose to do some batting practice. Openers Abhishek Goswami (77, 91b, 10x4, 1x6) and Almas Shaukat (73, 105b, 11x4) stitched together 150-run for the first wicket before the two captains agreed for a draw with UP scoring 179/3 in 44 overs. Now, Uttar Pradesh travel to Pune to play their next match against hosts Maharashtra from Saturday.
UP VS NAGALAND
Former champions Uttar Pradesh will take on energetic Nagaland in their pre-quarterfinal match of the Under-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy, starting December 8, at the Keenan Stadium in Jamshedpur. As per the draw issued by the BCCI on Monday, Uttar Pradesh topped the Central Zone with 26 points, which came through three wins and two draws. In the North East and Bihar Zone, Nagaland finished second also with 26 points.