Nagpur, Oct 12: The last round robin game of the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy was played between India Green and India Blue at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur today. India Green, who were at the receiving end of an eight-wicket defeat in their game against India Red yesterday, posted a 79-run win against the Blues to cruise into the final of the 2011 NKP Salve Challenger Trophy.
It was India Green’s top order that largely set up the win for them. After being put into bat first, India Green openers Robin Uthappa and S Anirudha struck feisty centuries in a 203-run opening stand. Uthappa retired hurt after an individual score of 105, only to find his way back into the middle after India Green lost Mohnish Mishra (9) and Ishank Jaggi (3) in quick succession. Uthappa finally fell for an individual score of 132 bowled by Prasanth Parmeswaran while Anirudha fell to part-time offspinner Murali Vijay for 111. The Greens, riding on those two centuries, managed an imposing 348 for nine in 50 overs.
Pradeep Sangwan, with figures of four for 58 from 10 overs, was the best India Blue bowler on the evening.
Despite some notable contributions from their batsmen, Murali Vijay (45), Saurabh Tiwary (74) and Dinesh Karthik (49), the Blues lost wickets at crucial stages of their run chase to pose any serious threat of chasing down the Greens’ score. Left-arm pacer Samad Fallah took three for 59, while Abhimanyu Mithun (2/43), Harbhajan Singh (2/40) and Iqbal Abdulla (2/60) took six wickets among themselves to bowl the Blues out for 269 in 41.4 overs.
India Green now take on India Red in the final which is to be played tomorrow on October 14 at this very venue.
Brief Scores: India Green 348 for 9 in 50 overs (Robin Uthappa 132, S Anirudha 111, Pradeep Sangwan 4/58) beat India Blue 269 all out in 41.4 overs (Saurabh Tiwary 74, Samad Fallah 3/59) by 79 runs.
