Punjab captain Vikram Rathour led a gallant Punjab fightback onthe penultimate day of their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal tieagainst Tamil Nadu at the MA Chidambaram stadium on Sunday
Partab Ramchand02-Apr-2000Punjab captain Vikram Rathour led a gallant Punjab fightback onthe penultimate day of their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal tieagainst Tamil Nadu at the MA Chidambaram stadium on Sunday. Butthe hosts were still poised for a berth in the semifinal by closeof play. Punjab, 203 runs in arrears on the first innings, scored366 the second time around thanks in the main to Rathour’smarathon 127 which lasted 505 minutes. Requiring 164 runs forvictory, Tamil Nadu at stumps were 30 for one. And even thoughthe batsmen out is the in form Sridharam Sriram, they shouldfancy their chances of getting the remaining 134 runs with ninewickets in hand on the final day on Monday on a wicket thatis still playing reasonably well.Punjab, 127 for two overnight, lost two more wickets fairly earlyin the morning. Pankaj Dharmani was caught behind by Reuben Pauloff Kumaran for 15 and then Youraj Singh after a bright 24 off 35balls with four boundaries and a six. He dominated a fourthwicket stand of 41 runs off 10.2 overs with Rathour.Punjab’s hopes were lifted with Rathour and Dinesh Mongia (35)adding 64 runs for the fifth wicket off 25.5 overs. Mongia, whofaced 94 balls and hit five of them to the ropes, was then caughtby Reuben Paul off Badani. A little later, Sanjay Sharma wasbowled middle stump by Sriram for a duck and Punjab were downin the dumps at six down for 278 – lead of only 75.But Rathour soldiered on and with Sandeep Sharma again revivedPunjab’s hopes. Rathour reached his century with a boundary andthe two added 55 runs for the seventh wicket off 16 overs.Rathour, who had played the sheet anchor role to perfection nowwas a bit more aggressive before he was caught by Gokulakrishnanoff Mahesh. Opening the innings, Rathour was out at 333 in the105th over. His 262-ball knock was embellished by 14 hits to theropes.The captain had shown the way and now Sandeep Sharma andSharandeep Singh got entrenched without much difficulty in aneighth wicket partnership which realised 29 runs off 7.4 overs.At 362 for seven, Punjab had a lead of 159 and a fourth inningstarget of around 200 loomed ahead for Tamil Nadu. HoweverRajath Bhatia, with a spell of three for two off 15deliveries, hastened the end of the innings. The last twobatsmen Harbhajan Singh and RP Singh both fell for ducksleaving Sandeep Sharma high and dry on 51 not out. He faced 90balls and hit six fours. Bhatia’s lucrative spell saw him finishas the most successful bowler of the innings – three for 18 offeight overs. Wicketkeeper Reuben Paul also had something to smileabout – he finished with five catches.In the Tamil Nadu second innings Sriram was caught behind for 13with the score 22. But Sadagoppan Ramesh (11) and Hemang Badani(4) remained unbeaten at stumps.