Sunday, Sep 14, 2003
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Cricket
By K.C. Vijaya Kumar
Century makers Dinesh Mongia (right) and Yuvraj Singh of India-B have a talk during their match against India -A in the TVS Salve Challenger Trophy in Bangalore on Saturday. — Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash
Yuvraj (81b, 9x4, 4x6) played with disdain; often carting balls towards the mid-wicket fence while Mongia (118b, 19x4) was a running advertisement for hard work and its rewards. Mongia had his moment of reckoning when Avishkar Salvi nearly had him off the first ball of the match. However, Mithun Minhas failed to latch on at slips and Mongia made the most of the lifeline. Satyajit Parab, who replaced S.S. Das in the team, essayed confident shots while Mongia revealed a new facet to his batting - mastery of the off-side. n his earlier innings Mongia, for a southpaw, surprisingly preferred his runs on the on side. But on this day he donned a fresh garb that was effective and pleasing. Mongia drove and whipped seamers Salvi and Irfan Pathan Jr and when Anil Kumble turned his arm over, a late cut and a deft flick proved delicate weapons that could kill. Kumble, however, had his moment when Parab (41) drove uppishly to Kaif. The opening partnership worth 102 proved to be the perfect backdrop for Yuvraj to flower. And he did with a few delectable drives on the up and those patented turn of the wrist shots which sends the ball in a riveting arc between square-leg and fine-leg. Kumble did post fielders at short covers while often making his fine-leg fielder come closer. But it is a tribute to Yuvraj's talent that he beat the fielder with the pinpoint accuracy that would have made a stealth bomber proud. The Mongia-Yuvraj partnership yielded 117 runs before Mongia in a fit of exuberance attempted the reverse sweep against Kumble and was trapped. Next man in - Thilak Naidu (47 n.o.) - obviously felt the pressure. Thilak who aspires for the Nation's wicket-keeping gloves also needed some runs on the board and in his first outing with the bat, proved that he has the talent. A glide off Salvi for four had class written all over it and with a six of Kumble, Thilak heaved a sigh of relief. The unbeaten 121-run partnership between Thilak and Yuvraj had its acme in the slog. And Yuvraj left his imprint, wading into Irfan Pathan's last over with two sixers. A front foot plonked well ahead and the elbows swivelling the bat into a smooth curve that left Irfan's delivery in the top tier of the stands past long-on reflected Yuvraj's power as well as the capitulation of the India A attack. It was a perfect launch pad for India B's dreams of a victory over India A later in the night. And the crowd, up on its feet during the batting assault, had enough reasons to cheer though rains in the dinner break remained a cause for worry. The scores: India B: Dinesh Mongia lbw b Kumble 121, Satyajit Parab c Kaif b Kumble 41, Yuvraj Singh (not out) 111, Thilak Naidu (not out) 47; Extras (lb-6, nb-3, w-11) 20. Total: 340 (for two in 50 overs). Fall of wickets: 1-102, 2-219. India A bowling: Avishkar Salvi 10-0-67-0, Irfan Pathan Jr 10-1-67-0, Ramesh Powar 10-0-52-0, Anil Kumble 10-0-73-2, Mithun Minhas 4-0-29-0, Sachin Tendulkar 6-0-46-0.
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