Punjab boys maintain clean slate

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 14  

An all-round effort helped Punjab beat Maharashtra by 232 runs and maintain a clean slate in the ongoing Col CK Nayudu Trophy.

Playing at Aurangabad District Cricket Association Ground, Punjab rode on off spinner Akul Pratap Pandove's fifer to bundle out the hosts for 200 runs on the final day today to register their third win the tournament. 

Going into the quarterfinals, Punjab lead Group A with 23 points from four matches — the side beat Vidarbha by an innings and followed it with another innings win against Himachal. They pipped Delhi on account of first innings lead and logged an outright win against Maharashtra in their last league match.

Electing to bat, Punjab were all out for a modest 216 in their first innings, with Nikhil Chaudhary (71) and skipper Karan Kaila (51) the only saving grace for the visitors.  

SA Kothari was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts claiming 5/83.  

Punjab, though, came back strongly to dismiss the hosts for just 114 runs and take a first innings lead of 102 runs. Sanvir Singh (3/17) and Nikhil Chaudhary (3/33) claimed three wickets each, while Manpreet Singh (2/36) and Kaila (2/19) picket two wickets apiece.  

In their second innings, Punjab amassed 330 runs with Chaudhary scoring yet another half-century. He was castled by JP Zope after hitting 52 runs off 89 balls.  

Pandove then steered the Punjab innings with an unbeaten 55 as the visitors finally ended with a lead of 432 runs. 

In reply, Maharashtra were all out for 200 runs in their second essay. 

The hosts lost opener Jay Pande for just eight runs, but wicketkeeper batsman NS Naik and skipper VH Zol batted patiently and kept the Punjab bowlers at bay. 

Their resistance was, though, broken Kaila struck in the 28th over to remove Zol on 68. The Maharashtra skipper faced 72 balls for his 23 before he felt to the guile of the left-arm spinner. 

PT Kore was dismissed by Arpit Pannu for 12 runs before Pandove picked his fist wicket in the 45th over — cleaning up Naik for a defiant 76. 

Naik's ouster at 138 triggered a slide for Maharashtra as they slid from 138/3 to 200 all out — Pandove finishing the day with 5/57.  

Chaudhary claimed 2/10, while Manpreet (1/28), Kaila (1/48) and Pannu (1/40) bagged a wicket each.

Brief scores 

Punjab 216 and 330 all out (Akul Pratap Pandove 55*, Nikhil Chaudhary 52; JP Zope 3/60, SA Kothari 3/121) beat Maharashtra 114 and 200 all out (NS Naik 76; Akul Pratap Pandove 5/57, Nikhil Chaudhary 2/10)