The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Baroda takes on Andhra

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Monday, Dec 17, 2007
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Baroda takes on Andhra

Special Correspondent

VISAKHAPATNAM: Baroda is going great guns in the Elite Group B of the Ranji Trophy tournament this season and takes on Andhra in its penultimate match at the ACA-VDCA stadium here from Monday.

Andhra for its part is determined to continue its good show against Baroda. It has won once, in 2003-04 in Baroda, and took the lead twice, at Anantapur and in Baroda in the last two seasons, in the three matches the two teams have played so far.

The failure to beat Hyderabad in the last match is not bothering Andhra.

“This is an important match for us and we are keen to exploit the home advantage. We have to bat better in this match,” said Andhra captain M.S.K. Prasad after nets on Sunday.

Leading the group

Baroda is leading group B with 17 points, followed by Hyderabad and Orissa with 10 each. Andhra is in third with nine points. It also has two matches in hand including the one against Baroda.

Baroda commenced its nets around noon and had a good workout under the supervision of Paras Mambhrey.

“We have to continue with our winning habit and can’t relax against Andhra. Our batsmen are doing well and also playing long innings. Spinners Rajesh Powar and Yousuf Patel are turning the ball well and are getting good support from seamers Sumit Singh and Sankalp Vohra,” said Baroda captain Connors Williams. Williams, who opens the innings with Satyajit Parab, has scored two good centuries, 153 against Hyderabad and 183 against Punjab.

Southpaw Rakesh Solanki made 186 against Bengal and 112 against Punjab. Yousuf picked up more than 25 wickets with his off-spin and also scored a big century, 183 against Bengal.

Andhra’s batting

Andhra’s batting should improve in the last two matches. Its openers L.N. Prasad Reddy and Himal Vatekar have the distinction of scoring a century in each innings of a match, according to Andhra Cricket Association’s official statistician Phani.

Vatekar achieved the feat against Punjab in Amritsar while Prasad Reddy has done it against UP at Anantapur.

This is Andhra’s 241st Ranji match.

The teams (from):

Baroda: Connors Williams (capt.), Satyajit Parab, Azhar Bilakhia, Rakesh Solanki, Yousuf Patel, Pinal Shah, Satrunjay Gaekwad, Atumani Chauhan, Rajesh Powar, Sumit Singh, Sankalp Vhora, Ketan Panchal, Hamid Ali, Dishant Mehta and Miten Shah. Coach: Paras Mambhrey.

Andhra: M.S.K. Prasad (capt.), Hemal Vatekar, L.N. Prasad Reddy, A.S.K. Varma, Y. Gnaneswara Rao, A.G. Pradeep, B. Sumanth, G. Shankara Rao, D. Kalyan Krishna, P. Vijay Kumar, V. Sandeep, Israel Raju, V.V.B. Saraswathi Reddy and M. Suresh. Coach: Abid Ali.

Umpires: Sanjiv Dua (MP) and Balwant Sharma (Rajasthan). Match referee: C.R. Vijayaraghavan.

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