da cassino： The National Cricket Academy today marched into the quarterfinal of theMRF-Buchi Babu all India invitation tournament in Madras by virtue of its143-run first innings lead over Air India
Sankhya Krishnan18-Aug-2000The National Cricket Academy today marched into the quarterfinal of theMRF-Buchi Babu all India invitation tournament in Madras by virtue of its143-run first innings lead over Air India. The game was called off at theend of the NCA innings by the mutual consent of both captains, ReetinderSodhi and Pravin Amre.Resuming at the Guru Nanak College Ground on their overnight score of124/1, NCA lost Gautam Gambhir for 69 in the sixth over of the day. Mohd.Kaif and Shiv Sunder Das then added a further 59 before the Orissa openerwas agonisingly dismissed six runs short of his hundred. His 94 had taken197 deliveries and included twelve boundaries.Yuvraj Singh indulged in some lusty hitting to swiftly compile 39 from 36balls before he was dismissed at 267 by off spinner Dheeraj Jadhav. Tworuns later Reetinder Sodhi disappointed by falling to his namesakeHarvinder Sodhi for a fourth ball duck. In his next over Sodhi also saw theback of wicketkeeper Rohit Jhalani, trapped leg before for one. Kaif andRomesh Powar proceeded to take NCA past Air India’s first innings total of277 during a 64 run stand before the former gave the charge to left armspinner Niraj Patel and was stumped for 65 (155 balls, 4 fours and a six).Mumbai all rounder Powar made a blistering 68 in an hour and a quarter,inclusive of seven rasping hits to the fence. After he gave Patel hissecond wicket at 371, the innings proceeded in a desultory manner with bothsides having agreed to call off the match at tea. NCA coach Roger Binny wasbusy making notes on his wards from a vantage perch on the first floor ofthe dressing room.The affair was brought to a merciful end when last man Rakesh Dhruv wascastled by Jadhav for 18 to terminate the Academy innings in the 107thover. Patel and Sodhi both bagged three wickets apiece for the losers. NCAnow go through to a quarterfinal game against Karnataka beginning August 24at the Central Polytechnic – India Pistons ground.