In a remarkable turn around in the Ranji One-Day South Zone League, the front runners Hyderabad found themselves going back home in the third position as they lost to Goa by 2 runs at CPT- India Pistons Ground, Chennai, on Monday. Hyderabad finished with six points and found themselves out of the run quotient situation and literally presented the championship to Karnataka who beat Andhra in the other match on Monday. Perhaps it was Tamil Nadu who applied the pressure on Hyderabad with their convincing victory over Kerala in double quick time. The news of an early Tamil Nadu victory made Hyderabad panic and lose wickets like falling nine pins.

Earlier in the morning Goa won the toss and elected to bat and were 52/2 in the 15th over when N Naik was adjudged LBW to D Manohar for 25. Goa consolidated through V Kolambkar and Tanveer Jabbar who added 92 runs in 22 overs. Kolambkar departed in the 37th over stumped off the bowling of JS Yadav for 53 (90 balls, 4 fours). BKP Misquin was run out in the 42nd over for 11 as the Goa score read 169/4. Jabbar and A Amonkar added a qucik 44 runs in 5.2 overs but Amonkar was dismissed for 27 in the 42nd over. Amonkar was severe on Hyderabad bowlers hitting out a six and three fours in his 17 ball stay at the wicket. Jabbar was in his elements, hitting a six and three fours in his innings of 77 made in 105 balls and was dismissed in the 49th over. Goa lost two more wickets going for big hits and were 235/8 at the end of 50 overs. NP Singh was easily the best of the bowlers and was possibly under-bowled finishing with the analysis of 8-3-24-3

Hyderabad had heard the news of Kerala bowled out for 184 by Tamil Nadu and went on a mad run chase. Opener M Srinivas was the first to go in the fifth over after he had made 9 in 12 balls including two fours. Captain VVS Laxman who was considered by the national selectors for a place in the Indian team had his task cut out clearly. Laxman and Daniel Manohar went on a rampage adding 125 runs in 14 overs. Laxman was particularly severe on the bowling as he punished them at will. He smashed 12 boundaries and a six in his 43 ball innings before being bowled in the 19th over by RP Rane. Laxman's efforts brought him 77 runs and made it look like Hyderabad were cruising to the Wills Trophy. Vanka Pratap came in and left in the 23rd over after making 13 in 15 balls. Daniel Manohar who played second fiddle to Laxman was not to be left behind, he made a mockery of the Goa bowling by hitting them all over the park to get to 95 in 77 balls which included 10 smashing fours and two sixes.

When all was well set for Hyderabad, there came the twist in the tale in the 26th over bowled by Satyajit Medappa. Medappa removed PR Satwalkar (7) in the second ball caught by AI Aware and in the last ball of the over had Manohar stumped by Misquin and the Hyderabad score read 212/5 in 26 overs. Satyajit Medappa had Nandakishore caught behind and then ran JS Yadav out for a duck to reduce Hyderabad to 222/8 in 27.4 overs. Needing 14 runs to win Aware cleaned up MF Ahmed for 9 in the 33rd over. In the following over NP Singh was caught by Jabbar off the bowling of Digvijay Singh for 7 leaving hyderabad four runs short of a win and a place in the Wills Trophy. Satyajit Medaapa was the toast of Goa as he claimed three wickets and a run out as Hyderabad were dismissed for 233 in 33.3 overs.

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