Hyderabad-Andhra game ends in a tame draw
Hyderabad: The South Zone Ranji Trophy match between Hyderabad and Andhra ended in a tame draw here yesterday with the hosts failing to bowl out the visitors a second time
Blessington Thomas
19-Nov-1999
Hyderabad: The South Zone Ranji Trophy match between Hyderabad and
Andhra ended in a tame draw here yesterday with the hosts failing to
bowl out the visitors a second time.
In a fine batting display on the final day, Hyderabad extended its one
run lead to 130 after batting for 99 minutes off 21.1 overs before the
declaration was made.
The overnight not out batsmen were in different gear altogether
today. Showing urgency the most prolific Hyderabad batsman in recent
times MV Sridhar in association with his overnight partner Vanka
Pratap batted freely in piling up runs to register the third century
partnership of the innings. When Sridhar was caught at extra-cover by
Amit Pathak, Hyderabad declared its innings closed at 510 for six with
a lead of 130 runs.
Hyderabad had an outside chance to bowl the opposition out in a
minimum of 67 overs inclusive of 15 mandatory overs. Andhra began its
second essay cautiously only to see Venkatapathi Raju coming on to
bowl the eighth over over of the innings replacing VVS Laxman who
shared the new ball with Narenderpal Singh, making inroads when he
bowled skipper Amit Pathak who tried to cut a low incoming ball only
to edge it on to his stumps.
After a 41-run stand between Reddy and Nagini Kumar [13] for the 2nd
wicket Andhra lost the former. He tried to play across on to the
on-side off a Raju delivery that again kept low. Umpire Ramchandran
had no hesitation in declaring Reddy out leg before. Reddy had swept
Raju for a six to the square-leg area. Nagini Kumar also was out in
similar fashion, the bowler being Kanwaljeet Singh, coming on for his
second spell.
Andhra at tea were 84 for 3 in 33 overs. Venugopala Rao and R V Ch
Prasad were unseperated at the start of the 15 mandatory overs. In the
13th and 14th overs both the batsmen were back in the pavilion.
Hyderabad bowled 16 overs in the last hour but to no avail. Had the
hosts batted positively on the third day, the result of the match
could have been different. Andhra closed at 141 for five.
Hyderabad garnered 5 points, while Andhra had to remain content with 3
points. In the next match Hyderabad will play Kerala in Kerala, while
Andhra will play Goa at home.