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Shahabuddin denies Delhi full points

Sports Reporter

VIJAYAWADA: Lanky Andhra medium pacer K.S. Shahabuddin (95, 163b, 259m, 6x4, 2x6) played an innings of his life on Friday to deny Delhi an outright victory and brought Andhra close to an impossible victory on the final day of the Super League Group `A' Ranji Trophy cricket match, which ended in a draw.

The final day had all the thrills and frills of a one-dayer, when Andhra made 329 for nine, chasing a target of 333, which looked out of reach after lunch. With just five runs to score in the last mandatory over and the last Andhra pair in the middle, it was anybody's game.

Responsibility

Delhi's Ishant was given the responsibility of preventing Kalyan Krishna (40 n.o, 69b, 128m, 7x4) from registering the most memorable victory in the history of Andhra cricket.

Braving fading light, Ishant struck to the line and length and gave away just one run in the last ball, but failed to give his team the much-desired victory, which looked possible in the afternoon. It was Shahabuddin who stood like a wall between Delhi and victory and exhibited grit and determination in the last two sessions. Walking in at 104 for five after lunch, with the top-order showing its back, Shahabuddin took up the task of salvaging pride of his team by forging a crafty 94-run partnership with Md. Faiq (42, 78b, 71b, 4x4).

Vital partnership

However, it was the 84-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Kalyan Krishna which turned the tide in host's favour. Shahabuddin played intelligent cricket by shielding Kalyan from Delhi spearhead Ishant and kept the scoreboard ticking. Delhi looked all at sea against the stubborn Andhra tail, and instead of attacking, it resorted to defensive game by spreading the fielders. Shahabuddin kept rotating the strike and slammed anything that was short or over-pitched.

Disaster struck Andhra when Shahabuddin, who was eager to finish off the game, went for huge hit in the 13th mandatory over only to perish in the deep midwicket. Under pressure, substitute Abhinav Bali took the catch much to the jubilation of his teammates. Andhra at that time needed 10 runs from two overs for a victory.

Delhi's fortunes took U turn, as the drawn encounter would fetch it only two points.

Delhi, with eight points takes on Haryana at Rohtak, while Andhra (12 points) will clash with U.P. at Kanpur from January 9.

The scores: Delhi — 1st innings: 355

Andhra — 1st innings): 209

Delhi — 2nd innings: A. Chopra lbw b Shahabuddin 0, S. Dhawan (run out) 54, M. Tehlan c M.S.K. Prasad b Kalyan 0, A. Jain lbw b Kalyan 11, M. Manhas (not out) 101, Virat Kohli (not out) 9; Extras (b-4, lb-3, w-4): 11. Total: (for four wkts decl., in 47 overs) 186.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-2, 3-24, 4-166.

Andhra bowling: Shahabuddin 11-3-33-1, Kalyan 13-2-51-2, Kishore 9-1-34-0, Md. Faiq 9.1-0-38-0, Vijay Kumar 4-0-15-0, Venu 0.5.-0-8-0.

Andhra — 2nd innings: Manoj Sai b Ishant Sharma 30, L.N. Prasad Reddy (run out) 6, A.S.K. Varma c & b Amit Bhandari 6, Venugopala Rao c Puneet Bisht b Rajat Bhatia 7, M.S.K. Prasad b. Ishant Sharma 33, Rv. Ch. Prasad lbw Suhail Sharma 42, K.S. Shahabuddin c Bali b Amit Bhandari 95, Md. Faiq c Aakash Chopra b Ishant 47, Lakshman Kishore c Aakash Chopra b Amit Bhandari 1, Kalyan Krishna (not out) 40, Vijay Kumar (not out) 1; Extras (b-9, lb-8, w-1, nb-3): 21. Total: (for nine wkts. in 82 overs) 329.

Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-37, 3-44, 5-50, 5-104, 6-144, 7-238, 8-239, 9-323.

Delhi bowling: Bhandari 20-2-100-3, Ishant 28-9-49-3, Rajat 12-2-44-1, Suhail 17-1-88-1, Aditya 4-0-22-0, Aakash Chopra 1-0-9-0.

The scores:

At Hyderabad: Hyderabad 309 & 76 lost to Bengal 200 & 188 for six in 76.4 overs (D. Dasgupta 50 not out). Points: Bengal: 4; Hyderabad: 0.

At Bangalore: Karnataka 426 & 28 for no loss in 3.5 overs bt Tamil Nadu 207 & 246 in 130.2 overs (S. Badrinath 63, H. Badani 59). Karnataka: 5; Tamil Nadu: 0.

At Vadodara: U.P. 269 & 210 lost to Baroda 308 & 172 for five in 52.3 overs (Irfan Pathan 82 not out). Baroda: 4; U.P.: 0.

At Nasik: Gujarat 369 & 73 for one in 36 overs drew with Maharashtra 450 for nine decl. in 160 overs (S. Sriram 122, M. Nigde 53, A.M. Makda five for 125). Maharashtra: 2; Gujarat: 0.

At Mumbai: Rajasthan 155 & 297 in 94.5 overs (A. Jadeja 70) lost to Mumbai 483. Mumbai: 5; Rajasthan: 0.

At Rajkot: Haryana 308 & 143 in 64 overs (R.A. Jadeja five for 45) lost to Saurashtra 268 & 184 for three in 49.1 overs (S.D. Jogiyani 92). Saurashtra: 4; Haryana: 0.

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