S. Rithik Easwaran got to an unbeaten 53 (48b, 4×4, 2×6) for TNCA President’s XI to set a 332-run target for Railways on the last day of a drawn Group-B match in the second round of the Buchi Babu Memorial All India Invitational Cricket Tournament here on Saturday.
The left-hander remarkably slog-swept left-arm spinner Raj Choudhary for back-to-back sixes to square leg as TNCA President’s XI declared its second innings at 227 for four at the Salem Cricket Foundation (SCF) ground.
The 50-run third-wicket union between Easwaran and K.T. Madhava Prasad (39) was broken when the latter shuffled across for a paddle sweep and completely missed the ball to be bowled by left-arm spinner Ayan Chaudhari.
Tailender M. Mohammed was sent in at No. 5, but he lasted only six balls as Raj got him bowled through the gate with an arm-ball.
Railways lost seven wickets in its chase.
After opener Vivek Singh was retired hurt with a foot injury in the fourth over, fellow opener Pratham Singh (11) had his front-foot defence breached to be bowled by pacer Mohammed.
In the next over, left-arm spinner M. Siddharth (two for 23) had Kush Marathe (10) dismissed, leg before wicket.
Mohammad Saif (25), then, skied Mohamed Ali’s off-spin to Gurjapneet Singh at mid-off. Gurjapneet, with his left-arm medium-pace, had Upendra Yadav (42) inside-edge onto the stumps.
After that, leg-spinner Jhathavedh Subramanyan picked up two wickets (two for 93) to spark the hope of a Railways collapse in his teammates.
He had Sahab Yuvraj (47) play on the backfoot and edge an especially bouncy delivery to a diving S. Radhakrishnan at slip. Vivek (10), who returned to bat, edged his wild on-side hoick for Radhakrishnan to take another diving catch at slip.
Attacking with no outfielder, Siddharth trapped Vishal Harsh (7) in front with his arm-ball.
At stumps, Ravi Singh was unbeaten on 65 (90b, 14×4).
TNCA’s 19-year-old Mohamed Ali was adjudged the Player of the Match.
Brief scores (round two, day four):
Group-B: TNCA President’s XI 459 & 227/4 decl. in 53 overs (S. Radhakrishnan 82, S. Rithik Easwaran 53 n.o.) drew with Railways 355 & 244/7 in 73 overs (Upendra Yadav 42, Sahab Yuvraj 47, Ravi Singh 65 n.o.).
