Better run quotient sees Indian Airlines through
A fighting century by Jolly Rovers skipper Ajay Kuduva could not prevent Indian Airlines from making it to the semifinals of the MRF- Buchi Babu invitation tournament
Natarajan Sriram
26-Aug-2000
A fighting century by Jolly Rovers skipper Ajay Kuduva could not
prevent Indian Airlines from making it to the semifinals of the MRF-
Buchi Babu invitation tournament. Indian Airlines won their match at
the IIT-Chemplast Ground against Jolly Rovers on Saturday by virtue of
a better run quotient.
Resuming at 136 for one on the final day, Jolly Rovers lost Sujit
Somasundar in the fourth over of the day. Somasundar, who did not add
a run to his overnight score of 68, was bowled by Murali Karthik when
going for an extravagant sweep. Dinesh Mongia (75) then joined
Badrinath and the two forged a useful 93-run partnership for the third
wicket in 23 overs. Mongia was easily the more aggressive of the two.
In a 78-ball essay, he slammed seven boundaries and three mighty
sixes.
But Jolly Rovers lost Mongia before lunch when substitute fielder
Onkar Singh at leg slip took the catch when he tried to flick Murali
Karthik. Rovers went to lunch at 256 for three. After the break,
Badrinath in the company of Ajay Kuduva took the score along to 294
when Badrinath fell to a spectacular catch by VVS Laxman in the slips
when the latter top edged Murali Karthik. Badrinath's 85 included four
boundary hits.
The fall of Badrinath after a sedate 265-ball innings prompted the
Indian Airlines skipper to opt for the new ball and Dodda Ganesh
immediately had Ganesh Kumar (0) caught behind. Pegged on the back
foot, Kuduva battled along with T Arasu till tea by which time the
score was past the 300 run mark. Arasu did not last long and in the
second over after tea nicked Veenet Jain for a simple catch to Dahiya.
The last session saw Indian Airlines gaining the upper hand as Kuduva
kept losing his partners at regular intervals. But the brave Jolly
Rovers skipper waged a lone battle in a losing cause. Though he lost
Ram Kumar (9) and Tinu Youhanan (8), he found a perfect foil in L
Balaji and in the last hour of play tore the Indian Airlines attack to
shreds reaching his century in no time.
But it was an uphill task and Jolly Rovers at the end of the match
were 458 for eight, finishing 44 runs behind the Indian Airlines
total. The unbroken ninth wicket partnership between Kuduva and Balaji
had added 93 runs off just 13 overs. Kuduva remained unbeaten on 115
with the help of 14 crisp hits to the fence. He faced 212 balls.
Balaji's unbeaten 32 was scored off 36 balls with three fours and a
six.