da pinnacle： The MRF Buchi Babu All India Invitation Tournament witnessed a fineperformance from Pankaj Dharmani in the opening clash between TamilNadu Cricket Association Districts XI and All India Associate Banks(AIAB) XI at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in
Staff Reporter12-Aug-2001The MRF Buchi Babu All India Invitation Tournament witnessed a fineperformance from Pankaj Dharmani in the opening clash between TamilNadu Cricket Association Districts XI and All India Associate Banks(AIAB) XI at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday. Onwinning the toss, Karnataka’s B Akhil decided that his team, AIAB XI,would bat. However, it all went wrong for the AIAB team when they wereset back at 27/4 by the Districts XI opening bowlers. Twenty-sevenyear old Punjab keeper batsman Dharmani changed the course of the gamewith a face saving 141 as AIAB ended the day on 283/8 off 95 overs.Dharmani, who has turned out for India, boasts a first class averageof over 50 and has a triple century to his name. Clearly a class actin domestic circles, Dharmani took to the Districts bowling and playeda hand that all present at the ground will remember for a while tocome. Picking off the bowling for 21 boundaries and two sixes,Dharmani stayed at the wicket for just over five hours, facing 211balls in the process. Involved in a mammoth 180-run stand for thefifth wicket with Sanjay Mohan, Dharmani turned the game around on itshead. The fact that Sanjay Mohan contributed just 46 (234 mins, 149balls, 6 fours) in that stand is proof of Dharmani’s dominance.Finally, it was mediumpacer G Vignesh who put an end to Dharmani’srun, having him caught behind with the AIAB score on 230. As many as203 runs were added while Dharmani was at the wicket. The AIAB tailtoo wagged, putting on another 53 runs, and the side finished with ascore that never looked on the cards when four wickets were lost forless than 30 runs. G Vignesh (3/48) and KS Veeranan (2/40) were themost successful bowlers.Khirid plays the sheet anchor role for MaharashtraRanjit Khirid played the sheet anchor role to perfection in helpingMaharashtra build up a total of 267 all out in 90.4 overs on theopening day of their MRF Buchi Babu invitation cricket tournamentfirst round match against Indian Railways at the Southern Railwayground in Chennai on Sunday.The right handed batsman came in when the first wicket fell at 37 inthe 18th over and did not depart till he was seventh out at 207 offthe last ball of the 68th over. His contribution of 88 was invaluableto Maharashtra who progressed only by fits and starts.Winning the toss, Maharashtra lost their first wicket when JaideepNarse who struggled for 73 minutes and 56 balls for four runs – aboundary being his only scoring shot – was out to left arm spinnerMurali Karthik. Niranjan Godbole, who dominated the first wicketpartnership with Narse, and Khirid then took the score to 86 beforethe former was run out for 58. He faced 106 balls and hit ten of themto the ropes.Off spinners Sanjay Satpathy and Kulamani Parida then struck atregular intervals and Maharashtra at one stage were 162 for six.Satyen Lande (27) and Khirid then added 45 runs for the seventh wicketoff 11 overs before Khirid was caught by wicketkeeper Sudhir Wankhedeoff Satpathy. During his 205-minute stay at the crease, Khirid faced151 balls and hit 14 of them to the fence. Lande and Satyajit Satbhaithen kept the innings going with an eighth wicket partnership of 51runs off 19.5 overs. Satbhai remained unbeaten with 37 off 70 ballswith four boundary hits. Parida was the most successful bowler withthree for 67 off 21 overs while Satpathy took two for 77 from the samenumber of overs. Murali Karthik had two for 69 off 28 overs while YereGoud who took the wickets of the last two batsmen with successivedeliveries had two for five off 2.4 overs.At close, Railways were seven for no loss off three overs with VineetSaxena (4) and Amit Pagnis (2) at the crease.