Punjab v Rest of India (MA Chidambaram Trophy)

Rakesh Sanghi, CricInfo
7-10 January 1999

No play was possible on the first day of the M A Chidamdram Trophy fixture for 1998-99. Cooch Behar (under-19) Champions Punjab are playing the Rest of India team at the PCA stadium at Mohali.

Due to continuing rain from the previous day, Umpires Kamal Juneja and Rajan Seth called off play at 2.30pm today. The covers were removed in the morning, but showers at the start of play forced them back on.

Day 2 Report

Deadly spells of bowling by Rest of India's left arm medium-pacer Amit Suman (6 for 57) and M Tripathi (4 for 53) restricted the Cooch Behar Champions Punjab to a first innings total of 151 today. At the end of the day's play, Rest of India had replied with 63 for 2. Play was called off early due to poor visibility.

Earlier, after electing to field, the Rest of India's bowlers struck in tandem to taunt and tease the Punjab batsmen. Only Yuvraj Singh (56, 7x4), son of former test cricketer Yograj Singh, could compile a decent score. He was largely responsible for holding the Rest of India attack at bat for nearly two hours.

Day 3 Report

Rajat Bhatia (68 not out) helped the Rest of India take a crucial two-run lead over Punjab, with six wickets in hand on the penultimate day of the rain-marred four-day Chidambaram Trophy cricket match.

Rest of India were 153 for 4 in their first innings in reply to Punjab's 151 when stumps were drawn for the day on which only 32.3 overs of play was possible due to poor-light. The play began after lunch and had to be called off early.

All-rounder Rajat Bhatia took the fight out of Punjab bowlers with his aggressive approach. Not afraid to punish the loose balls, Bhatia played with remarkable ease on a wicket where the Punjab batsmen were clueless to Rest of India's seamers yesterday. If the seamers were a disappointment early on, Sandeep Sanwal, Punjab's trump-card leg-spinner allowed the Rest batsmen to score runs at will. Generally pitching short, he was pulled and cut for vital runs. Off-spinner Sarandeep, who picked up both the wickets to fall today, was impressive but the lack of support at the other end made his job difficult.

He got rid of the overnight not out batsman Pushkaraj Jadhav, who gave ample support to Bhaita with a knock of 32, with a leg-cutter to have him caught by the wicket keeper Ankur Sondhi. He then prised out the Rest skipper Niraj Patel, claiming him leg before on the shuffle.

Day 4: Rest of India Clinch Chidambaram Trophy

Rest of India won the M A Chindambaram Trophy cricket on the basis of a 110-run first innings lead over hosts and Cooch Behar champion Punjab even as the four-day weather-hit match ended in a tame draw.

The fate of the match had almost been decided yesterday itself after the Rest of India squad had overhauled Punjab's first innings score. The highlight of the last day play was magnificient century by Rajat Bhatia.

Bhatia held the innings together scoring 119 (17x4). The No. 11 batsman, Amit Suman, played a breezy unbeaten knock of 23 runs which included four fours and the lone six of the innings. For Punjab Sarandeep Singh was the most successful bowler. He took four wickets conceding 56 runs, while Gulzar Inder Singh and Sandeep Sawal finished with two wickets apiece.

In their second innings, Punjab were 52 for two at close of play having lost the wickets of opener Munish Sharma and Harman Harry for 8 and 18 runs respectively.