Washington’s 88 takes Red to 483, Ishant ineffective
LUCKNOW: ISHANT BOWLED FOUR SPELLS ON FIRST DAY OF THE FINAL ON MONDAY CONCEDING 51 RUNS.ON TUESDAY, HIS ONLY SPELL OF FOUR OVERS WENT FOR 11 RUNS.
After two days out in the field, Ishant Sharma failed to take home anything positive bowling five spells for India Blue against India Red in the Duleep Trophy final at the Ekana International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. He remained wicket-less after bowling 14 overs conceding 62 runs.
Ishant had bowled four spells on the first day of the five-day final on Monday conceding 51 runs. On Tuesday, his only spell of four overs went for 11 runs and failed to make an impact on the young India Red batsmen.
The day, however, belonged to yet another India under-19 cricketer Washington Sundar, who notched up his maiden first-class half-century to help India Red post a healthy 483 in their first innings. On Monday 17-year-old Mumbai batsman Prithvi Shaw hit a century on his debut.
With India Red resuming on the overnight score of 317 for five, it was left-hander Washington, who set the pace. The boy from Tamil Nadu hit six fours and five sixes in his 118-ball 88, which helped India Red cross 450-run mark.
Before being caught by Bhargav Bhatt at mid-off off Akshay Wakhre as the last batsman, Washington added 48 runs for the seventh wicket with Vijay Gohil (29, 47b, 6x4) and then 43 runs for the last wicket with Basil Thampi (17*, 22b, 3x4).
Young off-spinner Akshay Wakhare remained the star performer for India Blue on Tuesday bagging three for 95, whereas Bharagv Bhatt added one more wicket to his overnight kitty of three to finish with four for 154.
Anticipating turn on this slow surface, India Red skipper Dinesh Karthik chose to start with spinners, but it made little impact on India Blue openers Abhimanyyu Easwaran (25*, 38b, 3x4) and KS Bharat (7*) as they went to dinner at 41/0 in 12 overs.
BRIEF SCORES India Red 483 in 127.2 overs (P Shaw 154m D Karthik 111, W Sundar 88, B Bhatt 4/154, A Wakhare 3/95) vs India Blue 41/0 in 12 overs (A Easwaran 25*).