UP’s challenge in quarterfinal almost ends

LUCKNOW: Finally, it’s almost an end of the road for two-time champions Uttar Pradesh in the quarterfinal of the Under-25 Col CK Nayudu Trophy against mighty Vidarbha on Thursday at Vadodara.

After a poor show with red cherry, Uttar Pradesh batters too failed to live up to the expectations and conceded a huge 367run first innings lead on the penultimate day of the four-day encounter on Thursday. This wasn’t all as Vidarbha instead of putting Uttar Pradesh into follow-on chose to enjoying batting, scoring 109/4 thus taking an overall lead of 476 in their second innings.

In fact, the unusual changes in the Playing XI by the team managed proved crucial for the side. There was no need to make changes in the winning combination, but their plans on the name of having a “strong XI” for the quarterfinal match backfired as most of the changes succumbed to pressure.

Despite using as many as eight bowlers in Vidarbha’s first innings, Uttar Pradesh allowed the rival batters to dictate terms as they went on putting up a huge total of 523. And when it came for batters, they too failed to challenge a disciplined bowling attack before being bundled out for paltry 156 in the first innings.

Resuming at the overnight score of 32/2, Uttar Pradesh never looked in command as the wickets kept falling on regular intervals. Sawan Singh (5) and Sameer Rizvi (60 departed in quick succession on Thursday morning. Though skipper Sameer Choudhary (40, 105b, 7x4) and Prince Yadav (59*, 132b, 9x4, 1x6) raised some hopes, stitching together 85-run for the fifth-wicket, it didn’t make any difference at the end.

Pranjal Saini (8), Ankit Choudhary (1), Aaquib Khan (0), Rishabh Bansal (4) and Kunal Yadav (0) too failed to handle Vidarbha bowlers. P Bhute remained the most successful bowler for Vidarbha, bagging 3/24, followed by P Rekhade 2/25 and Praful Hinge 3/39.

Vidarbha batters continued to enjoy the 22-yard-strip of Alembic 2 Cricket Ground at ease in the second innings too as opener A Mokhade (56, 89b, 9x4) and Y Rathod (44, 101b, 7x4) scored 94 runs for the second wicket as Vidarbha ended the day at 109/4 in 38 over. With such a huge lead to Vidarbha, nothing seems to have been left for Uttar Pradesh in this game.

But team’s chief coach Ubaid Kaamal was still hopeful of a “miracle” on the last day of the match on Friday. “We are hopeful and will put our best foot forward tomorrow as a match is not end till the last ball is bowled,” he said at the end of the third day’s play on Thursday.