Day 1: Sound start by ONGC

Chennai, August 24: On a day when only 71 minutes was possible, openers Gagan Khoda and Sandeep Sharma did well in getting ONGC to a sound start on the opening day of the MRF sponsored Buchi Babu All India invitation tournament semifinal at the MAC stadium on Tuesday. Off the 14.3 overs the Hyderabad Cricket Association bowlers sent down, ONGC scored 53 without loss.

Because of rain in the morning, play did not start until 3.30 pm. ONGC won the toss and elected to bat under overcast conditions. Though HCA skipper Venkatpathi Raju tried four bowlers including himself, Khoda and Sharma played confidently. While Khoda faced 44 balls for his 20 and hit one boundary, Sharma who got a century in the previous match, faced 47 balls for his 29 and had four hits to the ropes. Play was called off because of a bad light at 4.41 and subsequently abandoned for the day.

Day 3: Spin of coin carries Hyderabad to Final

Chennai, August 26: The spin of the coin carried Hyderabad into the final of the MRF sponsored all India Buchi Babu tournament at the MAC stadium here on Thursday. After rain had reduced play on the opening day to 71 minutes and washed out play on the second day ONGC made 234 for nine declared in 61.1 overs in their first innings. Hyderabad scored 54 for no loss in 20 overs and as the first innings was not completed, the spin of the coin was resorted to in a bid to spot the winner. And in this Venkatpathy Raju was lucky.

Resuming at Tuesday's score of 53 for no loss, ONGC openers Gagan Khoda (61, 88 balls, five fours, one six) and Sandeep Sharma (49, 87 balls, seven fours) put on 94 runs in 24.4 overs. But the rest of the batting provided little substance in the face of some fine bowling by Fiaz Ahmed who took six wickets for 61 runs.

In reply, Hyderabad openers Raj Kishore (16) and D Manohar (36) remained unbeaten before Raju was lucky with the coin to take his team to the final. Play incidentally started only at 11.15 pm because of unfit ground conditions and there was a 25 minute delay because of rain in the evening.