The Hindu : Sport : Tamil Nadu gains two points

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Thursday, Dec 21, 2006
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Tamil Nadu gains two points

Special Correspondent

Rajkot: Chetan Pujara's downfall after a remarkable knock ended an absorbing tussle between bat and ball and the contest between the two teams in the Group `A' Ranji Trophy Super League match at the Madhavrao Scindia Stadium here on Wednesday. Cutting R. Jesuraj hard, but straight into the hands of Yomahesh at point was probably the only mistake Pujara made in the course of his 507-minute tenure in the middle.

The Tamil Nadu team was a jovial lot once the fielder at point secured the catch to remove a young man who had virtually all alone caused them hopelessness since the previous morning.

Once Pujara fell after making 177 (328 balls, 28 x 4s), seamer Yomahesh cleaned up the Saurashtra lower order. On the basis of the first innings result, which was in its favour - a lead of 114 runs — Tamil Nadu gained two points from the match.

The home team's innings ended at the stroke of lunch. It laboured to even get past the crucial 350 run mark. Pujara's hopes of scoring a maiden first class double century was also defeated by Jesuraj's smart bowling. Struck for a four behind point of the previous ball, Jesuraj induced him to cut and successfully trapped him.

In its second innings, Tamil Nadu batted for 43 overs and scored 110. S. Anirudha helped himself to a half century before play was called off some 90 balls before scheduled close. The new rules introduced from this season give teams the leeway to bring halt to action once 75 overs have been bowled on the last day.

The scores:

Tamil Nadu — 1st innings: 500 for 8 wkts decl.

Saurashtra — 1st innings: K. Vaghela b Jesuraj 21, S. Jogiyani c Vijay b Jesuraj 49, S. Kotak c Varun Kumar b Jesuraj 84, C. Pujara c Yomahesh b Jesuraj 177, J. Shah c Yomahesh b Naresh 0, P. Mehta c & b Naresh 11, R. Jadeja b Yomahesh 7, R. Dhruv b Yomahesh 5, K. Makvana not out 3, S. Jobanputra b Yomahesh 0, S. Maniar c Varun Kumar b Yomahesh 0; Extras (b-6, lb-5, nb-14, w-4): 29; Total (in 149.4 overs): 386.

Fall of wickets: 1-74, 2-77, 3-293, 4-294, 5-340, 6-356, 7-363, 8-385, 9-386.

Tamil Nadu bowling: Mahesh 35.4-8-111-4, Jesuraj 39-17-74-4, Naresh 26-9-53-2, Sathish 29-10-77-0, Suresh 16-2-44-0, Prasanna 1-1-0-0, Vasudevadas 3-0-16-0.

Tamil Nadu — 2nd innings: S. Anirudha run out 56, M. Vijay c Makvana b Maniar 14, R. Prasanna not out 33, K. Vasudevadas not out 7; Total (for 2 wkts in 43 overs): 110.

Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-81

Saurashtra bowling: Jobanputra 8-1-34-0, Maniar 8-2-32-1, Vaghela 3-1-6-0, Makvana 8-3-12-0, Jadeja 10-5-11-0, Shah 5-0-14-0, Pujara 1-0-1-0.

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