Wed, 12 Oct 2011 - India Blue vs India Green, Challenger Trophy 2011-12, 3nd Match - Bulletin

Uthappa, Anirudha take India green to final

Riding on the superb centuries from their openers Robin Uthappa and Srikanth Anirudha, India Green stormed into the finals of Challenger Trophy defeating India Blues by 79 runs. They will now face India Reds in the final tomorrow who have remained undefeated in both the league games.

After Uthappa and Anirudha powered their side to 348/9 in the allotted fifty overs, Green bowlers put up a decent performance to set an easy victory. In reply to a mammoth total, India Blue were 269/9 in 42nd over with their skipper S Badrinath unable to bat due to an injury.

Despite solid contributions from the middle order, Blue couldn’t threaten the target as none of its batsmen were able to play a big innings. After losing opener Tanmay Srivastava early, Murali Vijay and Saurabh Tiwary added quick 87 for the second. Both looked in good touch before Iqbal Abdulla struck to remove Vijay for a 43-ball 45.

Tiwary though continued in Dinesh Karthik’s company to take the chase forward. Tiwary hit eight fours and a couple of sixes on his way to impressive 74 off 70 balls.He departed trying to hit Abdulla for a six and post his dismissal only Karthik and Manesh Pandey could add some substantial scores. Once Karthik (49) and Pandey (32) were gone, innings subsided to give India Green a well deserved victory.

Uthappa and Anirudha looked in cracking form from the word go taking attack to Blue’s new ball bowlers. The pair piled on misery for the Blues before Uthappa was denied a runner-as per new rules-and had to retire hurt at the end of 23rd overs.

Uthappa, in particular, gave selectors a serious reminder that he is very much in the reckoning creaming some quality shots throughout his belligerent knock. He was prepared to go over the top and gave spin duo Amit Mishra and Pragyan Ojha a real pasting.

His partner Anirudha didn’t want to be left out matching Uthappa’s aggression admirable. It took Uthappa only 70 balls to reach his century but left the field batting on 105 only to come back in the end overs.

Anirudha’s second list A ton came off 79th ball he faced before hitting a Vijay’s full toss straight to deep mid wicket field. The Tamil Nadu batsman went for a magnificent 88-ball 111 including 13 fours and three sixes.

India Green were all set for a score in excess of 400 with score reading 228 in 28th over but middle couldn’t match their openers’ batting heroics. There was hardly any contribution from the rest of the pack even as fit Uthappa came back add quick 27 to his individual score. Uthappa’s match winning knock of 132 was laced with 14 fours and three sixes and faced only 103 deliveries.Barring openers none of the batsmen could cross more than 18 but blistering knocks at the top ensured Green team ended with a total in vicinity of 350.

While most of the bowlers were taking apart, only left arm seamer Pradeep Sangwan could hold his own taking 4 for 58 in his allotted ten overs.