The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Pawar keeps Baroda in the hunt

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Tuesday, Dec 07, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

Pawar keeps Baroda in the hunt

By Our Sports Reporter

HYDERABAD, DEC. 6. Rajesh Pawar proved to be the unexpected hero for Baroda as first he recorded a hat-trick with his left-arm spin in the morning session and was then involved in a crucial unfinished 52-run stand for the sixth-wicket that kept his team still in the hunt against Hyderabad on the third day of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group `B' match at Gymkhana Grounds here today.

Earlier, Hyderabad, resuming at its overnight score of 179 for six folded up for 198 after 40 minutes of play as Pawar sent back wicket-keeper Ibrahim Khaleel (65, 196 balls, 5 x 4), Narinderpal Singh (0) and S.L. Venkatapathi Raju (0) in succession.

Bad start

Chasing a target of 276, Baroda was struggling at one stage at 130 for five before Pawar joined the more orthodox Hrishikesh Parab to defy the Hyderabad bowlers. And, the inefficiency of the host's bowling minus the striking prowess of Narenderpal Singh was thoroughly exposed with the fast bowler failing to give his usual breakthroughs. Consequently, Baroda finished the day at 182 for five, still needing 94 runs for a win.

Though Hyderabad captain Raju bowled a teasing spell after the tea break, he was unlucky as the close-in cordon failed to support him. First Sashank Nag was slow to reach to a sharp chance off Parab (then on 56) and off the next ball, lone slip Singh floored a pretty straight forward chance.

The Hyderabad captain first cleaned up Shartunjay Gaekwad with a beauty, beating the batsman's all ends up even as he shaped up to play a stroke on the on-side. Later, he had Yousuf Pathan trapped leg before with an armer. It was a blow which sent shock waves in Baroda camp.

But, Parab rose to the occasion with a sensible approach. This after his captain Jacob Martin was needlessly run out trying to take a non-existing second run after pushing one to square-leg. That Baroda recovered from these blows to be in a much better position at the close of play was largely due to the gritty display by Parab and Pawar.

The match has been keenly poised and it still can go either way.

The scores:

Hyderabad — 1st innings: 170

Baroda — 1st innings: 93

Hyderabad — 2nd innings: S. Daniel Manohar lbw b Yousuf Pathan 58, P. Sashank Nag c Jacob Martin b Irfan Pathan Sr. 8, A.T. Rayudu lbw b Rakesh Patel 6, N. Arjun Yadav b Rakesh Patel 2, Anirudh Singh st Jacob Martin b Yousuf Pathan 38, Ibrahim Khaleel c Hhrishikesh Parab b Rajesh Pawar 65, J. Shivaji Yadav lbw b Rakesh Patel 9, Mohd Ghouse c S. Parab b Yousuf Pathan 0, Fahad Shahnawaz not out 0, N.P. Singh lbw b Rajesh Pawar 0, S.L.V. Raju b Rajesh Pawar 0, Extras: (b-9, lb-1, w-1, nb-1) 12. Total 198.

Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-27, 3-33, 4-82, 5-147, 6-179, 7-186, 8-198, 9-198.

Baroda bowling: Rakesh Patel 21-6-46-3, Irfan Pathan Sr. 16-2-44-1, Yousuf Pathan 23-8-54-3, Sekhar Joshi 5-0-14-0, Rajesh Pawar 16.3-3-30-3.

Baroda — 2nd innings: C. Williams c Ibrahim Khaleel b Fahad Shahnawaz 6, Satyajit Parab c A.T. Rayudu b Mohd Ghouse 41, Hrishikesh Parab batting 56, Jacob Martin run out 13, Shatrunjay Gaekwad b S.L.V. Raju 2, Yousuf Pathan lbw b S.L.V. Raju 11, Rajesh Pawar (batting) 39, Extras: (b-8, lb-6) 14, Total (for five wkts.) 182.

Fall of wickets: 1-44, 2-58, 3-100, 4-106, 5-130.

Hyderabad bowling: N.P. Singh 15-6-31-0, Mohd Ghouse 13-3-36-1, Fahad Shahnawaz 12-2-28-1, Shivaji Yadav 14-2-37-2, Venkatapathi Raju 21-7-31-2, Daniel Manohar 1-0-5-0.

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