The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Hyderabad takes lead

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 27, 2005

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Sport - Cricket

Hyderabad takes lead

Sports Reporter

HYDERABAD: Trust him to rise to the occasion, and southpaw Anirudh Singh will rarely disappoint. Monday was no exception as this team player came up with yet another classy knock (95, 250b, 12x4, 2x6) to help Hyderabad take the vital first innings lead against Services on the second day of the four-day Ranji Trophy league match at the Gymkhana grounds here.

Opener Daniel Manohar (54, 102b, 6x4) really looked good in the morning playing some pleasing shots. Once he departed, unfortunate to be declared lbw to Yashpal Singh, Laxman joined Anirudh Singh and one thought it would be a run-feast.

Determined attack

But, that was not to be as the Services medium-pacers Fazil Mohammad and Hari Prasad worked hard and did not give the desired freedom for even Laxman to move into top gear quickly. That the India star took time to settle into a groove was itself a tribute to the determined Services attack.

And, just when Laxman started playing his vintage drives, with two exquisitely timed fours off Hari Prasad, the umpire shocked the India player by declaring him leg before, clearly going down the leg-side, hit him high on the thigh pad. The verdict left Laxman stunned as he walked back completely distraught.

Soon, Arjun Yadav slashed one from Fazil straight to point to leave Hyderabad at 162 for four. The position now merited a special effort from Anirudh and he did not disappoint with his typical drives, square on either side of the wicket.

The two huge sixes — over mid-wicket and fine-leg — off medium-pacer Fazil were the best strokes of the day.

Just when the entire Hyderabad team was on its feet to cheer in anticipation of a century, Anirudh was beaten by the one from Hari Prasad that swung back and uprooted his stumps.

D. Vinay Kumar (49 batting, 171m, 111b, 5x4) then held one end up admirably to guide Hyderabad to 278 for six at close despite losing Ibrahim Khaleel cheaply at the other end.

The scores:

Services — 1st innings: 196.

Hyderabad — 1st innings: S. Daniel Manohar lbw b Yashpal 54, P.S. Nag c Sarabjit b Hari Prasad 5, S. Anirudh Singh b Hari Prasad 95, V.V.S. Laxman lbw b Fazil 36, N. Arjun Yadav c Chawda b Fazil 2, D. Vinay Kumar (batting) 49, I. Khaleel b Fazil 1, A. Absolom (batting) 12. Extras: (b-3, lb-6, w-3, nb-12): 24. Total: (for six wkts., in 106 overs) 278.

Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-77, 3-160, 4-162, 5-230, 6-231.

Services bowling: Fazil 34-9-82-3, Hari Prasad 30-4-74-2, Mohanty 6-1-13-0, Yashpal 13-3-49-1, Arun 15-6-24-0, Amrinder 7-0-24-0, Jasvir 1-0-3-0.

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