Haryana, NCA in title clash

Haryana CA and National Cricket Academy registered crushing victories over KSCA teams to set-up a final against each other in the KSCA All-India invitational Dr (Capt) K Thimmappiah memorial tournament here at the Alur grounds on Sunday.

While Haryana trounced KSCA Colts by 169 runs at Alur (1) in the first semifinal, Ankit Bhawne slammed a blistering 75 not out as NCA flattened KSCA President’s XI by eight wickets at Alur (2) in the other last-four contest.

Although hopes of the both KSCA outfits appeared doomed after shoddy batting efforts in the first innings, one team that had a chance of staging an improbable turnaround was the President’s XI.
Overnight 411/9, they managed to reach 423 all out in 100.1 overs, setting NCA a target of 195 runs.

The President’s XI bowlers had a chance to go all out against NCA with almost three sessions in hand. However, that was not to be as NCA’s Bhawne slammed a superb 64-ball 75 n.o. (10x4, 2x6) to knock the stuffing out of President’s XI. With Chirag Khurana too making an unbeaten 66 (103 balls), NCA romped to victory in just 40 overs.

At Alur (1), KSCA Colts , chasing 387 for an unlikely victory, slumped to 218 all out. The only saving grace was Shishir Bhavane’s 105.

Brief scores: At Alur (1): Haryana CA: 405 all out in 97 overs and 228 (O/n: 114/5 in 26 overs) all out in 56.4 overs (Rahul  Dalal 40, Jayant Yadav 35, Kuldeep Hooda 50; Prasidh Krishna 2-54, Gowtham K 5-107, J Suchith 2-49) bt KSCA Colts: 246 all out in 80.1 overs and 218 all out in 48.4 overs (Shishir Bhavane 105, Suchith J 37; Yuzvendra Chahal 3-30, Jayanat Yadav 2-69, Sachin Rana 2-19).

At Alur (2): KSCA President’s XI: 214 all out in 54.1 overs and 423 (O/n: 411/9 in 95.4 overs) all out in 100.1 overs (Abrar Kazi 72; Chirag Khurana 5-79, Deepak Chahar 2-82) lt to National Cricket Academy: 443 all out in 94.2 overs and 196/2 in 40 overs (Chirag Khurana 66 n.o., Ankit Bhawne 75 n.o.).