The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Fortune favours Pawan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 27, 2007
ePaper

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Fortune favours Pawan

Special Correspondent

RATNAGIRI: K. Pawan (102, 230b, 12x4), riding on two lives offered by debutant wicketkeeper Sunil Jadhav, wore down spirited Maharashtra bowling and fielding by opting for caution. Chandrasekhar Raghu was an able partner; together they put on 156 runs for the third wicket as Karnataka amassed 239 for five on day two of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group A League tie here.

At stumps, captain Yere Goud and the experienced Thilak Naidu were at the crease, with the visitor just 38 runs away from the home team’s 276.

Maharashtra used seven bowlers, rotated the four medium-pacers and employed them in short spells. Pace bowler Wahid Sayyed got deliveries to rear in the day’s last session.

Attacking intent

Pawan’s attacking intent was clear from the day’s first over. Samad Fallah, Sayyed, Aditya Dole and Harshad Khadiwale, the young medium-pacers in Maharashtra line-up, used movement and pace to make life difficult for the openers. Pawan adopted a cautious approach after seeing opener Robin Uttappa and number three Devaraj Patil falling to the new ball bowlers, backed by alert fielding. Uttappa slashed at a Sayyed delivery, the ball flew to the slips region where Yogesh Takawale pulled off a spectacular catch, flying high to his left.

Devaraj’s attempted drive from the crease off Fallah was snapped up by Dhruv Mohan smartly at second slip. Debutant Jadhav behind the wickets spilled two chances off the Karnataka opener, unable to pouch the ball at full stretch.

Raghu (67 runs, 195 balls) too played the waiting game as the visitor moved into a position of strength against a team of youngsters who never give up hope.

The scores:

Maharashtra —1st innings: 276

Karnataka — 1st innings: R. Uttappa c Takawale b Sayyed 15, K. Pawan b A. Joshi 102, D. Patil c Dhruv b Fallah 7, C. Raghu c Dhruv b A. Joshi 67, A. Verma lbw b Rao 1, T. Naidu (batting) 25, Yere Goud (batting) 4. Extras (b-5, lb-1, nb-5, w-7) 18; Total (in 92 overs for five wickets) 239.

Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-38, 3-194, 4-208, 5-212

Maharashtra bowling: Fallah 20-4-56-1, Dole 17-2-57-0, Sayyed 15-3-34-1, Khadiwale 9-1-20-0, Joshi 23-6-52-2, Dhruv 2-0-5-0, Rao 5-2-9-1.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport