da bet7k： ONGC had a rollicking time with the bat at the MA Chidambaram Stadiumtoday, plundering 349/3 from 95 overs in an MRF-Buchi Babuquarterfinal against All India Associate Banks at Chennai
Sankhya Krishnan24-Aug-2000ONGC had a rollicking time with the bat at the MA Chidambaram Stadiumtoday, plundering 349/3 from 95 overs in an MRF-Buchi Babuquarterfinal against All India Associate Banks at Chennai. Both teamshad entered this stage of the competition after winning a spin of thecoin in rain ruined pre quarter final games. Gagan Khoda, GautamVadehra, Virender Shewag and Rizwan Shamshad all made merry against anuninspiring attack after ONGC won the toss and elected to bat.Opener Ravi Sehgal was the only one to miss out, bowled by Hyderabadmedium pacer NP Singh for 30 almost on the stroke of lunch afterbuilding a first wicket stand of 86 with Gagan Khoda. The Rajasthanskipper fell for a breezy 91 (149 balls, 11 fours, and a six apieceoff DP Singh and R Sridhar), caught by wicketkeeper Thilak Naidu offleft arm spinner R Sridhar. Khoda seemed reluctant to leave but umpireKashyapan advised him to stop fussing.Naidu was not wearing the gloves when the Banks team took the field inthe morning but first choice keeper Pankaj Dharmani, also the skipper,left the field after lunch necessitating Naidu to take up the job.Following Khoda’s departure at 139, Vadehra and Shewag added 101 in 24overs. Delhi allrounder Shewag was the more adventurous of the two,slamming 68 off 81 balls, including ten hits to the fence, before hewas caught at slip by Devendra Bundela off Rajasthan left arm spinnerDP Singh.But there was to be more agony for the fielding side as newcomerShamshad did not pull any punches. When play ended for the day he hadhurried to 52 off only 68 balls in the course of an unbroken 109-runstand with the more watchful Vadehra who as captain of the side wasplaying a responsible hand at the other end. Vadehra was still at thecrease seven short of his hundred (161 balls, 11 fours) when stumpswere drawn.Banks used seven bowlers with DP Singh’s 1/38 being the best returnson offer. ONGC made two changes in the eleven, leaving out formerIndia bowler Chetan Sharma and wicketkeeper Manoj Mudgal for MithunMinhas and Sumit Dogra. The Banks side inducted off spinner ManishPanchasara for mediumpacer B Akhil.