Tamil Nadu's superb all round efficiency proved too strong for Hyderabad in the South Zone Ranji Trophy one day cricket tie for the KS Subbiah Pillai Trophy at the MAC stadium in Chennai on Sunday. They bowled out Hyderabad for 188 in 48.3 overs and then coasted to victory for the loss of four wickets in 41.1 overs.

Put in to bat, Hyderabad were given a good start wth openers D Manohar (34) and A Nandakishore (18) putting on 54 runs in 13.3 overs. But skipper Robin Singh effected a middle order collapse and Hyderabad slumped to 85 for four. However Md Azharuddin and P Satwalkar retreived the innings with a fifth wicket stand of 87 runs in 18.4 overs. Azhar played strokes fluently all round the wicket before he was out for 69 compiled off 97 balls with the help of three fours and two sixes. Satwalkar's 36 was compiled off 52 balls with a solitary boundary hit. Once this stand was broken however medium pacer Gokulakrishna brought about a sharp collapse and Hyderabad lost six wickets for 12 runs in 5.5 overs.Gokulakrishna finished with four for 23 and Robin with three for 25.

Tamil Nadu lost S Sriram and Reuben Paul with only 54 runs on the board but Hemang Badani and Tanveer Jabbar effected a recovery with a third wicket stand of 59 runs off 14.1 overs. Badani was then out for 43 made off 52 balls with five fours. Madanagopal did not last long but Jabbar and Robin Singh then steeered Tamil Nadu to victory with an unbeaten fifth wicket partnership of 59 runs off 11.5 overs. Jabbar remained unbeaten with a stroke filled 72. He faced 111 balls and hit six fours and a six. Tamil Nadu got two points and now head the table with nine points from four matches.

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