da roleta： A fine bowling spell by former India bowler Harvinder Singh (4 for 64)enabled Railways to push Punjab on to the backfoot in their RanjiTrophy semi-final match at PCA stadium, Mohali on Thursday
da prosport bet： Staff Reporter05-Apr-2001A fine bowling spell by former India bowler Harvinder Singh (4 for 64)enabled Railways to push Punjab on to the backfoot in their RanjiTrophy semi-final match at PCA stadium, Mohali on Thursday. Ankur Kakkar’slaboured knock of 53 assisted Punjab to 247/8 at close on the openingday.Railways skipper Abhay Sharma had no hesitation in asking Punjab totake first strike after winning the toss. Munish Sharma who openedwith Ravneet Ricky lasted just three deliveries. Trying to fend ashort rising delivery, he was caught at third slip by Yere Goud offHarvinder Singh. Skipper Vikram Rathour joined Ricky but both foundthe going tough as the bounce was inconsistent. The early morningmoisture in the wicket also helped the Railways pacemen. Both batsmenopened their account with streaky shots to the vacant third man area.The partnership between Ricky and Rathour mounted to 76 and just asthe picture was looking rosier for the Punjab team, Harvinder struckonce again as Ricky played an uppish drive straight into the bowler’shands. Ricky’s knock of 33 runs came from 86 balls with the help offive boundaries. Rathour also departed soon after, driving an outgoingdelivery from Sanjay Bangar, the resulting snick being collected bykeeper Abhay Sharma at his individual score of 44.Punjab’s main hopes rested on Pankaj Dharmani who has scored aplethora of runs this season. He started with a well timed cover driveand proceeded to take boundaries each off Kulamani Parida, HarvinderSingh and Sanjay Bangar. A sudden rush of blood terminated Dharmani’sinnings as he tried to heave off spinner Parida over midwicket only tofind his middle stump uprooted. The Punjab team at this stage wastottering at 114 for 4.At the other end Ankur Kakkar found the going tough, being rattled byshort deliveries from Harvinder. Reetinder Sodhi (15) who came in nextdid not last long. He was bowled by Parida, the ball rolling on to thestumps off the inside edge. Debutant Sanjay Mahajan stepped out undertremendous pressure. He opened his account after 10 balls but couldnot last long, being captured behind the stumps off Harvinder.Leg spinner Sandeep Sanwal arrived at the middle and his confidencealso boosted the spirit of Kakkar at other end. The duo added 61 vitalruns for the seventh wicket of which Sanwal contributed 28 runs withthe help of four sweetly timed boundaries. He was sent back to thepavilion by left arm spinner Tejinder Pal Singh who was reintroducedfor a second spell after 54 overs. Sanwal was clean bowled whiletrying to clear mid off and missing the line.Gagandeep Singh replaced Sanwal and was shaping well but his seniorpartner Kakkar was lulled into a mistake after an obdurate 53.Stepping across the wicket to drive a overpitched delivery byHarvinder, he was trapped in front in the penultimate over of the day.At draw of stumps of Gagandeep was batting on 16 with the help ofthree boundaries while Vineent Kumar is yet to open his account. Apartfrom Harvinder, off spinner Kulamani Parida was also amongst thewickets, scalping 2/49.
