Winning cricket is often about getting those simple aspects right. Such as bowling with control, creating the pressure and then batting with the right blend of caution and enterprise.
Tamil Nadu ticked all the boxes on the day one of its Ranji Elite clash against Railways here on Sunday. The host took a vice-like grip on the match, first bundling out Railways for 76 and then ending the day at 236 for four.
Young left-arm spinner M.Siddharth - he bowled with the new ball and grabbed four of the first five wickets - and senior off-spinner - he too scalped four - derailed the Railways after it won the toss on a surface that offered appreciable turn.
As it happened |
Mukund, Karthik pile misery
Then, Tamil Nadu cricket’s long-distance man Abhinav Mukund produced a short burst to get to his hundred, launching a blistering attack on the Railways attack, racing to his century between lunch and Tea.
To make the occasion more special, this was Abhinav’s 100th Ranji match for Tamil Nadu. He consumed just 115 deliveries striking 12 boundaries and three sixes.
Not someone with a high back-lift, Abhinav flicked, cut and swept to pulverise the Railways bowling. He punches the ball rather than wade into it. All his three sixes were in the ‘V’ with the southpaw using his feet.
Abhinav put on 156 in 213 balls with L. Suryapprakash (50, 100b, 7x4). Later in the innings, Dinesh Karthik collected runs briskly with an unbeaten 57 off 55 balls (5x4, 2x6).
In the morning, the lanky Siddharth impressed with his accuracy. Given his height, he achieved natural bounce and spun the ball away from the right-hander, sent down the odd arm ball.
From the other end, the experienced Ashwin bowled capably, keeping it tight, using the crease, and bringing in subtle variations in trajectory.
It was Tamil Nadu’s day at Chepauk.
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