The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Maiden home trophy for KRL

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 23, 2006

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Maiden home trophy for KRL

Principal Correspondent

KOCHI: Thriving on its new signing Abhishek Hegde and S. Aneesh, Kochi Refineries Limited won the KRL all-India cricket title, its home trophy, for the first time here on Sunday.

The home team was playing just its second all-India final here, its first was five years ago, but KRL pulled off a resounding five-wicket victory over DTDC (Bangalore) at Ambalamugal this evening.

"It was easier than expected," said the KRL coach P. Balachandran, a former Kerala Ranji coach and player.

While opener Abhishek was the top scorer with 36 (34b, 7x4), spinner Aneesh was the chief wicket-taker with four scalps. The two Ranji stars are currently among Kerala's brightest faces in the sport.

DTDC began as the favourite. "When we walked in (to bat, after winning the toss), I thought it would be an easy game," said the Bangalore side's captain, former Test star David Johnson. The opener hoisted two lovely 6s too in his 23.

But wickets kept falling cheaply, and in a shocking sequence, and soon DTDC was struggling at 63 for four and a little later, 93 for six. And there were no comebacks as the team managed just 140, with fast bowler Prasanth Chandran (two wickets) and Aneesh coming good. Yogesh Takawale, with 30, was the Bangalore team's top run-getter.

The scores: DTDC, Bangalore 140 in 38.3 overs (S. Aneesh four for 17) lost to Kochi Refineries Limited, Ambalamugal 141 for five in 32.5 overs.

Best player awards: Abhishek Hegde (KRL, batsman), Vinay Kumar (DTDC, bowler), Rohan Prem (Kids, allrounder), S. Aneesh (KRL, man of the final), Prasanth Chandran (KRL, player of the tournament).

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