Hyderabad v Goa (Ranji, South Zone)

Blessington Thomas, CricInfo
4-7 January 1999

The first day's honours went to Daniel Manohar for an innings of monumental patience. He was unconquered on 104 at close of play.

Opting to bat, Hyderabad's openers provided an ideal launching pad for a huge total. At lunch Hyderabad were 71 without loss, in 24 overs. Between lunch and tea they added 99 runs in 31 overs (170/0 in 55 overs). Upon resumption after tea Goa met with the lone success of the day when Shetty played a half-hearted push-drive to offer an easy catch. A tame end to a fine knock. Daniel Manohar prospered in the company of Nandakishore to add an unbeaten 98 runs for the second wicket in 124 minutes and 207 balls.

Daniel's 50 took 190 mts, 127 balls and next 50 took 167 mts and 125 balls (100 in 357 mts, 252 balls. 10 fours). At close Nanda scored his 50 off the penultimate ball of the day. For Goa, off-spinner Rajesh Naik who broke the opening-stand.

Day 2 Report

Hyderabad declared its innings closed 38 minutes after lunch with both Pratap and Vinay unbeaten on 49 apiece from the 188 mts. Hyderabad added 170 runs to its overnight total of 268. Nanda Kishore was unlucky to miss out on a century, when adjudged lbw to Yeshwant Barde in his second spell of the match.

Hyderabad was left to bowl 45 overs today, and would like to bowl out Goa under 288, and enforce the follow-on. Partnerships of note for Hyderabad were, Daniel Manohar and Nanda Kishore, 154 runs for 2nd wkt in 186 mts, 292 balls; Vanka Pratap and Vinay Kumar, an unbeaten 98 runs for 4th wkt in 100mts, 156 balls.

At close of play, Goa is still 167 runs behind the follow-on target, with 7 wickets in hand.

Day 3 Report

The third day's honours belong to the twenty year old left-hand Goa opening bat, Vivek Kolambkar, who registered his maiden Ranji Trophy century. He played the waiting game to perfection, attacking the bad balls, while not afraid to step out to the spinners. In all he struck 13 fours and was mainly responsible for prolonging the Goan innings well past lunch.

However, Kolambakar's century went in vain as Goa fell short of the follow-on target by 46 runs. Following on, Goa batted with purpose and were 88 for the loss of Yeshwant Barde. Hyderabad tried as many as seven bowlers to make in-roads into to the Goa 2nd innings. The Goan batsman showed great resolve the second time around, and were determined not throw their wickets. The hero of the first innings, Vivek Kolambkar (37) is still there in the of Avinash Dhabolkar (25). These two have added 54 runs in 96 minutes, off 193 balls thus far.

Goa is still 107 runs away from making Hyderabad bat again.

Day 4 Report

The first wicket fell in 11th over of the day, NP Singh (NPS), operating from the pavilion end, trapped Vivek Kolambkar leg-before. This dismissal signalled a Goan collapse.

Raju consumed Avinash Dhobalkar of his own bowling when the batsman checked his stroke, only to give the bowler an easy return catch. NPS got another lbw decision to account for Dinesh Rao. Kanwaljit Singh replaced NPS at the pavilion end and met with success claming two wickets in four balls in his 5th and 6th overs of the day. Rajesh Naik who was beaten comprehensively in the flight, and was stumped by wicket keeper Youvraj Singh. Three balls later Kanwaljit caught a blinder of a return catch to send back the Goa skipper, Balakrishna Misquin.

At lunch Goa were 181 for 7, still 14 runs away from making Hyderabad bat again. After lunch Kanwaljit claimed two more wickets while Raju one, to wrap up the tail. The Hyderabad opening pair knocked off the required 19 runs with minimum fuss. Goa's medium pace bowlers Mohammad Ali bowled as many as 6 no balls in his only over. Daniel Manohar brought up the victory with a boundary off Balkrishna Misquin.

This brings to an end Goa's Ranji campaign. Goa has the dubious distinction of conceding 8 points to each of the South Zone teams this season. Hyderabad has 24 points from this match, and qualifies as the third team from the South Zone for the Super League.