JOIN USChipli, Kazi join forces to power Combined XI
Resuming from 278 for eight, City XI ended their first innings at 305 with Kunal Kapoor, overnight 88, completing a richly deserved hundred (102, 233b, 14x4).
Left-arm seamer Kazi scalped the remaining two wickets for figures of 4 for 75. The total did not have an imposing look about it but City XI bowlers, led by D V Anish, made it look good as they made the Combined batsmen work hard for runs.
Their end of the day total of 262 for six was largely the outcome of the efforts of Chipli (74) and Amith Verma (54).
The twosome, however, could not convert their fifties into something more substantial.
Combined XI were in a spot of bother when they returned to the hut, but Kazi (42 n.o) and all-rounder Raju Bhatkal (17 n.o) ensured that there would be no further damage while instilling in their team genuine hopes of knocking off the remaining 43 runs necessary for the innings lead.
Left-arm spinner Anish (5-101) was the most successful bowler for City XI.
Bangalore in command
At the IAF ground, Bangalore Zone grabbed an innings lead of 106 runs against the President’s XI, and then extended the overall lead to 183 runs after amassing 77 for one in the second innings.
First innings centurion Mayank Agarwal started in a blazing fashion along with C M Goutham.
Though Mayank got out for 44, the opening stand might already have given Bangalore a chance to push for an outright victory.
Resuming from 18 for two, President’s XI limped to 194 before getting bundled out. Overnight batsman Karun Nair did not last long, but CB Karthik went about his task confidently and he received good support from KB Pawan, who made 62. But once they were jettisoned, there was hardly any sting left in the tail of President’s XI as paceman Chetan William (4-42) and off-spinner M R Darshan (4-47) soon brought an end to their innings.
Brief scores:
City XI: 305 all out in 103.4 overs (Kunal Kapoor 102; S Arvind 2-95, Raju Bhatkal 2-30, Abrar Kazi 4-75) vs Combined XI: 262/6 in 74 overs (Bharath Chipli 74, H T Sudhir Rao 28, Dananjay Murari 21, Sudhindra Shinde 20, Amith Verma 54, Abrar Kazi (batting) 42; Raju Bhatkal (batting) 17; D V Anish 5-101)
Bangalore Zone: 290 all out in 83.4 overs and 77/1 in 18.2 overs (Mayank Agarwal 44, C M Goutham batting 30) vs President’s XI: 194 all out in 75 overs (C B Karthik 55, K B Pawan 62, Nitin Bille 36; Chetan Willam 4-42, Sunil Kumar 2-30, M R Darshan 4-47).