Kaif to Central’s rescue

AURANGABAD, DEC 17: The ground conditions at the Aurangabad District Association Stadium amply reflected the degradation of one of the na...

AURANGABAD, DEC 17: The ground conditions at the Aurangabad District Association Stadium amply reflected the degradation of one of the nation’s premier cricket tournament — the Duleep Trophy. A bumpy outfield and a 22-yard strip that threatens an early finish to the five-day encounter was certainly not the platform for a summit clash featuring a sprinkling of hopefuls.

Young Mohammad Kaif, however, overcame the environmental hazards with a tenacious 69 on the opening day of the contest today. The 19-year-old Uttar Pradesh lad walked into a crisis after West Zone medium-pacer Abey Kuruvilla mocked at Gyanendra Pandey’s decision to bat first by claiming opener Gagan Khoda (20) and Amay Khurasia (0) off successive deliveries in his first over.

A fortnight ago, Kaif had cracked an unbeaten double hundred which ended Mumbai’s Cooch-Behar aspirations and paved UP’s march to the final. Later, he came up with useful contributions of 40 and 53 to abett Central’s success against North. Today, he reiterated hispotential in front of national selectors Anil Deshpande and Shivlal Yadav.

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Yogesh Ghare aided Kaif in Central’s fightback. Though the 27-year-old Ghare lacked the confidence of Kaif, he hung to add 67 runs for the fifth wicket. The Vidarbha lad scored 37 in a near two hour tenure.

Skipper Pandey, replacling Ghare, hoisted left-arm spinner Nilesh Kulkarni for two sixes. He added 51 for the sixth wicket.

Pandey (batting 34) saw the day day through, after Kaif’s departure, in the company of a tentative Manoj Mudgal (batting 6).

Kuruvilla perplexed the batsmen with his variations and arrested the run-getting. His second spell of the day read: 9-7-5-0. Both Mhambrey and Kuruvilla bowled well on the newly-laid track that offered copious assistancee.

Scoreboard

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Central Zone (1st innings): Gagan Khoda c&b Kuruvilla 20 (31b, 57m, 4×4), Jyoti Yadav c Kulkarni b Mhambrey 5 (12b, 21m, 1×4), Jai Prakash Yadav c Jaffer b Kulkarni 36 (68b, 99m, 7×4), Amay Khurasia c Jaffer b Kuruvilla 0 (1b, 1m), MohdKaif c Kotak b Mhambrey 69 (213b, 269m, 10×4, 1×6), Yogesh Ghare st Dighe b Bahutule 37 (86b, 116m, 5×4, 1×6), Gyanendra Pandey batting 34 (110b, 136m, 2×4, 2×6), Manoj Mudgal batting 6 (30b, 42m, 1×4). Extras (6lb, 11nb, 1w) 18. Total (for six wickets in 90 overs, 314 mins): 225

Fall of wickets:1-15, 2-52, 3-52, 4-93, 5-160, 6-211

Bowling:Mhambrey 18-5-36-2 (1nb), Siddiqui 14-4-26-0 (2nb, 1w), Kuruvilla 20-7-47-2 (7nb), Kulkarni 17-5-50-1, Bahutule 10-2-35-1 (1nb) Kanitkar 11-3-25-0