Duleep Trophy : Thumping win for India A

ANANTAPUR: Ricky Bhui delayed the inevitable with a stubborn hundred, but spinners Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian eventually brought India D to its knees as India A walked away with a 186-run win in the Duleep Trophy match here on Sunday.

Bhui, starting from overnight 44, made 113 (195b, 14x4, 3x6) but India D, overnight 62, was bundled out for 301, chasing 488.

The victory enabled India A to stay in contention for the title with 6 points. India D, out of title race after two successive defeats, will be up against second-placed India B, which has 7 points.

On a pitch that gave copious assistance to the spinners, the ‘D’ batters needed to show tremendous application to hang around. But apart from Bhui none really showed the stomach for a fight.

Bhui’s second-wicket stand with Yash Dubey (37) was worth 100 runs but Dubey got run out, and in his next over Mulani castled Devdutt Padikkal to push India D to 105 for three.

They managed to stitch two useful stands for two subsequent wickets – a 53 between Bhui and skipper Shreyas Iyer (41, 55b, 8x4) and a 62 between Bhui and Sanju Samson (40, 45b, 3x4, 3x6).

But their stands were more about aggression, and the approach was fraught with danger on a pitch where spinners called the shots.

Both Shryeas and Samson were cleaned up by Mulani, who was later adjudged player of the match. A sharply turned one accounted for Shreyas while Samson failed to connect a pull as the ball disturbed the timber.

While wickets were tumbling at constantly at the other end, Bhui was a picture of confidence and brought up his century in 170 balls.

Then off-spinner Tanush Kotian got into act, and started his demolition job by removing Saransh Jain (5), and six overs later he ousted Bhui, who holed out to Riyan Parag in the deep.

Brief scores: India A 290 & 380/3 decl. Bt India D 183 & 301 in 82.2 overs (R Bhui 113, S Iyer 41, S Samson 40, T Kotian 4/73, S Mulani 3/117)

India C takes three points to lead table

Anshul Kamboj ended up with an eight-wicket haul as India C took the lead in the Duleep Trophy standings on the basis of the first innings lead against India B.

Resuming day four at 309 for seven, India B was dismissed for 332 in 108 overs with Kamboj cleaning up the tail to add to his overnight five wickets. India B skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran remained unbeaten on 157 off 286 balls.

India C, which amassed 525 in the first innings, reached 128 for four in its second innings and that was the moment where players decided to shake hands.

Brief scores: India C 525 & 128/4 decl. In 37 overs (R Gaikwad 62, R Patidar 42) drew with India B 332