da roleta： National Cricket Academy XI completed a second trouncing in successivedays of the Combined Zonal Academy team at the RSI Ground in Bangaloreon Wednesday
Staff Reporter04-Jul-2001National Cricket Academy XI completed a second trouncing in successivedays of the Combined Zonal Academy team at the RSI Ground in Bangaloreon Wednesday. NCA’s 115 run victory was built around a rollickingcentury by opener Deep Dasgupta, ably supported by lusty efforts fromGnaneswara Rao and Ishan Ganda. In a game that was reduced to 45 oversa side due to overnight rain, NCA piled up 303/5 and then rolled overtheir opponents for 188.NCA skipper Ajay Ratra won the toss and elected to take first strike,opening the batting himself with his fellow stumper Dasgupta. Ratra -playing as a specialist batsman – fell to Mihir Diwakar for 22 butDasgupta and Rao (67) proceeded to compile a 134 run second wicketpartnership. Dasgupta, who was among the probables for the Zimbabwetour, hoisted a 98 ball ton, advancing to 122 off 115 balls, before hebecame spinner Abhishek Sharma’s second victim. A late onslaught fromGanda who belted an unbeaten 66 off just 48 balls saw NCA top the 300run mark. Neither Gautam Gambhir nor Gulzar Inder Singh who put on a204 run opening stand for NCA on Tuesday got to bat. Sharma was by farthe best bowler on view with 3/40 in nine overs.The Combined XI never appeared remotely in the hunt, offering only afew pockets of resistance in the form of opener SM Dholpure’s 57 andAmbati Rayudu’s 43. Stuart Binny smacked three sixes in his 28 beforebeing ninth out and the game meandered to its desultory end shortlyafterwards. Six bowlers shared the wickets for the victors withManinder Singh, SG Yadav, Mulewa Dharmichand and Ishan Ganda scalpingtwo apiece.