Punjab beat Andhra by 9 wickets, ease into quarters
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 11
An all-round performance helped Punjab register a nine-wicket win over hosts Andhra Pradesh on the third and penultimate day of their Col CK Nayudu Trophy match at the Rural Development Trust Stadium in Ananthapur on Friday.
Chasing a 70-run target, skipper Anmol Malhotra, who promoted himself to the top of the order, in company of Kashish Panseja added 57 runs for the first wicket to put the visitors on the brink of victory.
The partnership was broken when Panseja fell to A Vinaykumar on 24. Interestingly, Panseja was also pushed up the batting order after his sedate 66-run knock in the first innings had helped the side pile up 374 runs.
Malhotra and Ramandeep Singh then ensured the visitors chased down the total without any further trouble. The skipper remained not out on 35, while Ramandeep made an unbeaten 10.
Earlier, the Punjab skipper had asked the hosts to follow on after they were bundled out for 182 runs in their first innings.
Resuming at overnight 182/9, Andhra lost J Vinod Naidu on naught to hand a 192-run lead to the visitors.
The hosts, however, did not learn from their past mistakes and were reduced to 98/6 before G Jayavardhan and PP Manohar helped them overcome the lead. The duo added 98 runs for the seventh wicket before Manohar was castled by Harpreet Brar on 56.
The remaining three wickets added 65 runs and pushed the Andhra total to 261. Skipper Imandi Karthik Raman made 26 runs, while Vinaykumar remained not out on 12. Jayavardhan made a 98-ball 83 before he fell
to Panseja.
Harpreet Brar, who had claimed a fifer in the
first innings, was once again impressive with the ball, picking up 3/85. Off-spinner Akul Pandove (2/82) and Ikjot Singh Thind (2/47) took two wickets each, while Nikhil Chaudhary (1/14) and Panseja (1/19) bagged a wicket apiece.
Courtesy today’s victory, Punjab jumped to 36 points and regained the top spot. The side, however, in all likelihood is going to lose the top spot once again to Bengal, who are in command against Saurashtra in their last league match.
Top-eight teams will make it to the quarterfinal stage, scheduled to start on January 17.
