Iqbal-Yashpal help Sikkim revive innings

Tribune news Service

Chandigarh, January 11

A fine 158-run stand between Iqbal Abdulla and Yashpal Singh helped Sikkim to recover from a shaky start against Chandigarh in their Ranji Trophy Plate Group match at the Sector 16 Stadium today.

Chandigarh skipper Manan Vohra won the toss and asked the visitors to bat first. He was soon a happy man as his decision to bowl first worked and Sikkim were reduced to 78/4 in 30 overs on a wicket that helped spin bowling. Sikkim openers Puran Giri and Bibek Diyali added 35 for the first wicket when left-arm spinner Gurinder Singh struck, inducing Giri to edge one to wicketkeeper Uday Kaul at his individual score of 8.

Ashish Thapa was the next to fall, also to Gurinder. Thapa’s innings lasted only 12 balls before he was caught by Vohra at first slip, without scoring. At 45/2, Yashpal then joined Diyali and the duo tried to rescue the innings against a fierce bowling attack. But their partnership raised only 17 runs — Diyali was bowled by Bipul Sharma off a full delivery, after the batsman had compiled a sedate 34 off 68 balls, with six boundaries.

Next man, Jahan Uddin, came in with a defensive mindset and lasted 30 balls, off which he made only 3 runs. His innings ended when he was caught and bowled by Bipul in the 30th over.

Reduced to 78/4 before lunch, Sikkim faced an uphill task. The 38-year-old Yashpal, who was mentioned as an India prospect a little over 10 years ago, was joined by Abdulla at this stage. And the two managed to take away Chandigarh’s golden chance to keep Sikkim below 150 runs.

Yashpal and Abdulla raised a 158-run partnership for the fifth wicket to take the team’s total to 220. Vohra tried everything to stop the duo, but they stood firm. They played for nearly 33 overs, completing their half-centuries. They would have been hoping to remain unbeaten at the close of play, but Gurinder came to Chandigarh’s rescue when he dismissed Yashpal. In the third over after the tea break, Gurinder bowled a slower ball to Yashpal, who failed to judge it and was stumped by Kaul. Yashpal scored 80 off 120 balls, with 13 boundaries.

In the next over, Abdulla also fell, getting caught-behind by Kaul off Jagjit Singh Sandhu for 84 off 109 balls, studded with 10 boundaries and two sixes. Both wickets fell with the team’s total reading 220, and Sikkim’s fight seemed to be petering out.

Chandigarh’s pacers did the rest of the work. Anirudh Kanwar claimed Lee Yong Lepcha (26), while Sandhu accounted for Palzor (1), Ruben (0) and Padam (1) to pack Sikkim off for 264 runs. Gurinder claimed 3/76 while Sandhu claimed 4/53 to pack off the tailenders. Bipul (2/43) and Kanwar (1/36) mopped up the rest of the wickets.

In reply, city opened with Arslan Khan and Shivam Bhambri late in the day, but Bhambri fell without scoring, falling to the first ball he faced, from Ishwar Chaudhary. At stumps, the hosts were 4/1.

City lads lose ground

After restricting Goa tat 232 runs, the Chandigarh lads were struggling at 65/4 at the draw of stumps on the opening day of their Cooch Behar Trophy match here. Goa skipper Kaushal Hattangadi came up with a brilliant 148 off 173 balls, with 22 boundaries and one six, to help his side achieve a respectable total. Sehbaaz Singh claimed three wickets, while Yuvraj Choudhary, Arjun Azad and Surya Narayan Yadav claimed two wickets each for the hosts. In reply, the city lads lost their first four wickets for 15 runs. However, skipper Yadav (34) and Pratham (11) managed drag the team to 65 without losing any more wickets. Ruthvik Naik and Jagdishkumar Patil claimed two wickets each for Goa.