The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Gnanaeswara lifts Andhra

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Sunday, Dec 04, 2005

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Gnanaeswara lifts Andhra

Sports Reporter

ANANTAPUR: Hyderabad bowlers, using the overcast condition quite effectively, restricted Andhra to 231 in the first innings to gain a first-innings lead of 139 runs on the penultimate day of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group B match at the RDT Sports Centre here on Saturday.

Play was stopped forty minutes before scheduled time due to bad light. Hyderabad scored 14 for no loss in its second innings.

A determined Y. Gnanaeswara Rao (63) came to the rescue of Andhra to avoid follow on. He, along with the tail-enders, ensured Andhra clear the hurdle. Gnanaeswara's innings was entwined with caution and beautiful stroke play, though got a life when he was dropped by Indrasekhar Reddy at point on 56.

After the fall of opener T. Suman (41) and overnight batsman K.S. Shahabuddin (21), the onus was on skipper Y. Venugopala Rao (33) and A.T Rayudu (20) to lift the team. The Hyderabad bowlers, especially spinners, succeeded to rein in the top order. Venu and Rayudu got out playing recklessly, and Andhra was left tottering at five for 142 at lunch.

Venu played a flurry of sweep shots. But a pedal shot cost him dear as he failed to read a fuller length delivery from spinner Indrasekhar Reddy. A.T. Rayudu, known for his attractive stroke play, was beaten by the flight of an Ojha delivery, and the agile wicketkeeper Khaleel ensured his departure. Medium pacer Kaushik Reddy was the pick of the Hyderabad bowlers, scalping four for 43.

The scores

Hyderabad — 1st innings: 370

Andhra — 1st innings: T. Suman c Khaleel b Kaushik Reddy 41, M.S.K. Prasad b Pragyan Ojha 9, K.S. Shahabuddin lbw N.P. Singh 21, Y. Venugopala Rao b Indrasekhar Reddy 33, A.T. Rayudu St. Khaleel b Pragyan Ojha 20, Y. Gnanaeswara Rao c Arjun Yadav b Kaushik Reddy 63, A.S.K. Verma c Indrasekhar Reddy b Kaushik Reddy 5, M. Suresh (run out) 7, Md Faiq lbw N.P.Singh 8, Kalyan Krishna c Ojha b Kaushik Reddy 17, Lakshman Kishore (not out) 0, Extras (lb-2, nb-5) 7. Total (in 84.2 overs) 231.

Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-67, 3-101, 4-115, 5-142, 6-157, 7-180, 8-190, 9-226.

Hyderabad bowling: N.P Singh 22-3-58-2, Kaushik Reddy 23.2-8-43-4, Pragyan Ojha 20-3-77-2, Indrasekhar Reddy 14-4-34-1, Amol Shinde 3-1-7-0, Daniel Manohar 2-1-10-0.

Hyderabad — 2nd innings: Abhinav Kumar (batting) 11, Daniel Manohar (batting) 3,

Total (in 4 overs) 14 for no loss.

Andhra bowling: K.S.Shahabuddin 2-0-7-0, Kalyan Krishna 1-0-3-0, Md Faiq 1-0-4-0.

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