The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Dhruv, Rajesh excel

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 16, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

Dhruv, Rajesh excel

CHENNAI, AUG. 15. Sparkling batting by Dhruv Mohan (120) for Maharashtra and effective off-spin bowling by Rajesh Sharma (seven for 50) for Punjab Colts were the highlights on the opening day's matches of the Sahara-Buchi Babu all-India invitation cricket tournament here on Sunday.

With eight boundaries and four sixes — all against the spinners — Dhruv truly enjoyed the settings at the SRMC ground as he ensured Maharashtra reached 273 against Bihar in the `D' zone after winning the toss. Considering there were no sizeable contributions from the others, Dhruv's effort was even more significant. Bihar was in a poor way, losing two wickets for just 18 runs by close.

On a pitch at the MAC stadium that provided little for the mediumpacers, Punjab Colts' fastish off-spinner Rajesh Sharma justified his skipper's decision to bowl first with a seven-wicket haul while restricting Sahara to 191 in a `B' zone match.

Without Ajay Jadeja, who will join only for the next match, it required some late revival by Deepak Bhatnagar (43, 6x4) and Vikas Chandan (49, 7x4).

The scores: Sahara 191 in 59.3 overs (Deepak Bhatnagar 43, Vikas Chandan 49, Rajesh Sharma seven for 50) v Punjab Colts 58 for one in 30 overs.

TNCA President's XI 301 for nine in 90 overs (Badri Attavar 81, J. Hariesh 85, S. Sharath 42, Sunil Viswanathan 43, Zaheer Khan five for 66) v IOC.

Districts 228 in 82.2 overs (G. Vignesh 98, Madhusan Acharya five for 44) v Vidarbha 20 for one in 6.3 overs.

Hyderabad 212 in 73.1 overs (Shashank Nag 67, R. Ramkumar four for 58, S. Badrinath three for 45, Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan three for 38) v SPIC-TNCA 77 for two in 18.4 overs.

Maharashtra 273 in 79.3 overs (Dhruv Mohan 120, Mihir Diwakar three for 39) v Bihar 18 for two in eight overs.

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