Suryavanshi, Siddharth put UP almost in K-O
Even before Uttar Pradesh’s openers Siddharth Yadav and Aanjaneya Suryavanshi could take the field on the penultimate day of their fourday Elite Group F encounter against Kerala on Thursday, they had instructions to play as much as they could by none other than the batting coach and former Ranji Trophy cricketer Parvinder Singh.
Chief coach Obaid Kamal too wanted this, and the two batters responded to the instructions well and took the two-time champions Uttar Pradesh almost in the knockout of the Under-25 Col CK Nayudu Trophy with their free-flow batting all-around the ground of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday.
With an overall lead of 498, Uttar Pradesh ‘s last pair of batters Pranjal Saini and Kunal Yadav would be needing to bat as much as they could as in no condition Kerala would be able to win the match by crossing the target on the last day of the encounter on Friday. In fact, Uttar Pradesh need just one point to qualify for the knockout and in this given situation, they would minimum be finishing with 16 points in three matches, much ahead to Kerala (11 pts), even if the match ends in a draw.
“I just told them to play session-by-session and don’t lose wickets and they exactly did the same. It’s a good batting practice ahead of the knockout matches next week either at Baroda or Ahmedabad,” batting coach Parvinder Singh said on Thursday as soon as UP ended the day at 433/9 in 119 overs in their second innings.
Keeper-batter Pranjal Saini (59, 142, 7x4) and Kunal Yadav (5, 14b, 1x4) were at the crease after adding unbeaten 28-run for the 10th wicket at the close of stumps on Thursday. They have so far stitched together 71-run for the seventh wicket.
Resuming at the overall overnight lead of 200/0 in the second innings, both Yadav and Suryavanshi continued their flow with willow against a mediocre Kerala bowling attack. As expected Yadav looked a bit aggressive, hitting the ball with sheer power, Suryavanshi kept his cool and played a waiting game before accelerating the run-scoring in the post-lunch session.
Yadav remained a bit unlucky as he missed his maiden century of the season by a whisker, scoring 163-ball 99 with the help of eight boundaries and three sixes before being caught by Anand Krishnan off Akhil Scaria. He along with Suryavanshi collected a record 225-run for the first wicket. Basti’s Suryvanshi, who has been in a terrific form this season, once again showed his might in style, notching up his second century before being trapped leg before wicket by Vishweshar Suresh. Suryavanshi’s 135-run came off 172 deliveries with the help of 14 hits to the fence and two sixes.
Undoubtedly, wickets kept falling on regular intervals from the other end with Sahab Yuvraj Singh (18), Sameer Rizvi (17), Prince Yadav (4) and Kritagya Singh (2), Karan Chaudhary (2) and Vineet Dubey (0), batters like Sameer Choudhary (76, 113b, 10x4) and Saini kept the scoreboard ticking on a brisk pace.