Aanjaneya, Kritagya set up UP’s facile win
It remained just a formality on Friday as two-time champions Uttar Pradesh took 56 balls to script their second consecutive outright win in the Under-25 Col CK Nayudu Trophy, drubbing lowly Goa by 10 wickets, at the Alur Cricket Stadium in Bengaluru.
Needing 41 more runs to win in their second innings on the final day of the four-day encounter on Friday, Uttar Pradesh romped home without losing a wicket in 16.2 overs.
The win with a bonus point put Uttar Pradesh on top of the Elite Group F with 13 points, but they still need at least a draw against Kerala (10 points) in their last match, which starts on March 5, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, to qualify for the knockout.
Openers Sameer Rizvi (44, 52b, 6x4), who survived an easy chance at the first slip in the very third over of the day, along with Aanjaneya Suryavanshi (30, 46b, 3x4) took the side home, stitching together unbeaten 74 for the firstwicket.
In fact, the four-day encounter between the two sides witnessed many ups and downs before favourites Uttar Pradesh dictating their terms in style. Skipper Sameer Choudhary launched UP’s mission by bagging 3/26 to see Goa collapsing for 179 in the first innings after winning the toss. He was well supported by Kunal Yadav (2/23), Kunal Tyagi (2/41), Prince Yadav (1/8) and Kritagya Singh (1/54).
Despite losing four wicket wickets early in the game 4/25 in their first innings, Uttar Pradesh riding high on superb century by Lucknow’s Aanjaneya Suryavanshi (115, 117b, 13x4, 2x6) and Sameer Choudhary (96, 236b, 11x4), posted 300 in 96 overs, taking a solid 121-run first innings lead. All-rounder Kritagya Singh (27, 42b, 5x4) and Prince Yadav (24, 25b, 3x4) too played small but important innings.
Goa’s poor run with willow continued even in the second innings as baring opener Vaibhav Govekar (48), skipper Deepraj Gaonkar (34) and allrounder Ruthvik Naik, no other batter could do well, especially against left-arm orthodox spinner Kritagya Singh, who took 4/73 to set up a small 72-run winning target for Uttar Pradesh on the final day of the game on Friday. Besides Kritagya, Kunal Yadav (2/33), Prince Yadav (2/16), Kunal Tyagi (1/24) and Karan Chaudhary (1/12) too did well with red cherry.
“It’s quite a satisfying win for the side and everyone played his part nicely,” team’s batting coach and former Ranji Trophy batter, Parvinder Singh said on Friday after the match.
“We had different plans for the game and boys executed those plans well. Both Aanjaneya and Choudhary batted well along with others, whereas in the bowling department Kritagya was outstanding,” said Singh, adding, “Our real test is against Kerala on a sporting wicket and I am sure that pacers are going to play a crucial role on the Chinnaswamy stadium pitch.”