Andhra pulled off a thrilling one-wicket victory over Saurashtra in their opening match of the Vinoo Mankad Trophy at the Sports Galaxy Cricket Ground in Lucknow on Friday.
After restricting Saurashtra to a modest 222 for seven, Andhra struggled a wee bit in the middle as they were reduced to 160 for six. However, the tail wagged well which helped Andhra reach 226 for nine.
Andhra began well with the opening pair of KNV Kowshik (15) and Shree Samanyu Datta adding 28 before the former fell to Anjan.
Datta and G Devpramod then took Andhra ahead with a 56-run partnership for second wicket which came off 57 balls. Datta contributed 37 off 27 balls and Pramod made 18 off 30 balls before Datta fell. Datta made 45 off 36 balls with nine fours.
Aditya hammers a century, bowlers strangle Manipur as Hyderabad cruise to 189-run win
Andhra then lost two wickets in the form of Veerendher (2) and M Toshith Yadav (8) to be reduced to for four.
Andhra tailenders to the fore
However, Pramod and Ommi Bhaswanth Krishna (24) bailed out the side with a 51-ball 50 partnership for the fifth wicket. But Andhra found themselves in dire straits as they lost both Krishna and Pramod in quick succession to be six down for 160. Pramod, who topscored for Andhra, made 59 off 86 balls with five fours. Krishna’s 24 came off 24 balls with three sixes.
The target now looked a distant reality, but A Waga Kullayappa (20) and CS Reddy (20) turned it into a possibility with a 42-run stand for the seventh wicket off 38 balls.
But Saurashtra were not giving it up so easily. They struck by getting rid of both the batters and Andhra were 202 for eight.
Nellapu Rajesh and Sai Charan Nidamanuri (11) added a crucial 19 runs off 27 balls for the ninth wicket to bring Andhra within the range. Nidamanuri fell with Andhra needing just two runs for victory.
Last man PSM Dinesh defended the last ball of the over and in the next over Rajesh (7 not out) grabbed a single to tie the scores. On the fourth ball, Dinesh (4 not out) struck a boundary to take Andhra over the ropes to the glee of his camp.
Anjan took three for 42 and Aryan Savsani grabbed three for 33.
Toshith bags three wickets
Earlier, Saurashtra had a bad start with Karm Babariya being trapped leg before by M Toshith Yadav with two on the board.
However, Jay Ravaliya and Yug Vaghani struck half-centuries to bail their team out. The duo added 103 off 144 balls to put their side on top. Jay Ravaliya contributed 52 and Yug Vaghani made 49 as the batters toyed with the Andhra attack.
However, Andhra struck back by getting rid of both of them in quick succession. Jay was caught by Veerendher off Kowshik after making 54 off 70 balls with three fours and four sixes and Yug was bowled by Dinesh. Yug made 52 off 88 balls with eight fours.
But Darsh Vadnagra (29) and Aryan Savsani forged a 50-run partnership for the fourth wicket off 42 balls and then Savsani and Bhavya Vadher (26 not out) added a 42-ball 42 to bolster the team. Aryan made a 42-ball 46 with seven fours before he was caught by Veerender off Nidamanuri.
Toshith then got rid of Vatsal Patel (5) and Dharmik Jasani (6) as Saurashtra were restricted to 222 for seven. Toshith bagged three for 49.
Brief scores: Saurashtra 222 for seven in 47 overs (Jay Ravaliya 54, Yug Vaghani 52, Darsh Vadnagra 29, Aryan Savasani 46 Bhavya Vadher 26 not out; Toshith Yadav 3/49) lost to Andhra 226 for nine in 43.4 overs (Shree Samanyu Datta 45, G Devpramod 59, Ommi Bhaswanth Krishna 24, A Waga Kullayappa 20, Sohan Reddy 20; Anjan3/42, Aryan Savsani 3/33, Dharmik Jasani 2/38).
