The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : ECoRSA, VPSC reach semifinals

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Friday, Mar 04, 2005

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Sport - Cricket

ECoRSA, VPSC reach semifinals

By Our Special Correspondent

VISAKHAPATNAM, MARCH 3. Holder East Coast Railway Sports Association (ECoRSA) and runner-up Visakhapatnam Port Sports Council (VPSC) moved into the semifinals of the 12th annual The Hindu Trophy prize money cricket tournament here on Thursday.

While ECoRSA defeated former champion Vizag Colts by 56 runs at the Zinc Stadium, VPSC accounted for M.F. Khan CC by 53 runs at the MCV Stadium.

VPSC made 194, thanks to some fine knocks by opener K. Srinivasa Reddy (53, 7x4) and middle-order batsman and veteran Ghulam Farooque (43). The two prevented a collapse after M.F. Khan's Srinivas and Gopi Reddy struck early in the innings and Gulam Zilani midway through.

Farooque added 58 for the seventh wicket with R. Narayana Rao (15). Earlier, Srinivasa Reddy shared a 43-run stand for the second wicket with H. Watekar (19).

In reply, M.F. Khan suffered a batting collapse. Pijush claimed both openers and the team lost half its side for 55.

Middle-order batsman Ch. V. Chandra Sekhar's defiant knock of 33 (5x4) and the 45-run stand for the ninth wicket between Gopi Reddy (28 not out) and Durga (22) saw the team finish at a respectable 141.

V. V. Ramana and K. Narayana Swamy picked up three wickets each while Pijush had two.

Mid-innings blues

At the Zinc Stadium, ECoRSA looked on course for a big score but collapsed midway through. K. Kumara Swamy top-scored with 85 (9x4) and added 93 for the second wicket with opener Madhu Sudhan (45, 3x4) and 51 for the third wicket with G. Shankara Rao (35, 2x4).

After Shankara Rao left at 183, the ECoRSA innings ended quickly at 208. Sudha Kiran claimed three wickets, there were three run-outs and Lavanya Kumar took two wickets.

Vizag Colts had a disastrous start when Gangadhar removed two batsmen with only two runs on the board.

However, opener Abraham (32, 6x4) and Lavanya Kumar (32, 1x4) batted well though their team fell short.

Abraham added 42 for the third wicket with A. G. Pradeep (13) while Lavanya forged a 74-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Sridhar (21, 2x4) after K. Kumaraswamy took three quick wickets. M. N. Ravikumar finished with two wickets.

The scores:

VPSC 194 in 46.2 overs (K. Srinivasa Reddy 53, Ghulam Farooque 43, Gulam Zilani four for 35) bt M.F. Khan 141 in 44.3 overs.

ECoRSA 208 in 47 overs (K. Kumara Swamy 80, Madhu Sudhan 45) bt Vizag Colts 152 in 46 overs.

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