Vijay Hazare Group B: Delhi enter quarterfinals; Kerala thrash Saurashtra

Vijay Hazare Trophy: Delhi topped group B with 26 points followed by Andhra who had an inferior net run-rate despite finishing with same number of points.

Delhi vs Chhattisgarh

Delhi comfortably beat Chhattisgarh by 44 runs in their group B league encounter to enter the quarter-finals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy here Monday.

Delhi topped group B with 26 points followed by Andhra who had an inferior net run-rate despite finishing with same number of points.

Delhi, Andhra and Hyderabad (22 points) have qualified from group B.

It was debutant wicketkeeper Lakshay Thareja, who scored 53 in the middle-order to take Delhi to 245 for 9 in 50 overs.

In reply, Chhattisgarh was all out for 201 in 45.1 overs with left-arm seamer Kulwant Khejorliya being the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 27.

Top Performer: Kulwant Khejroliya was the surprise all-round star in Delhi’s win. The left-arm fast bowler hit three towering sixes towards the end to lift the Delhi innings and then came back doing to what he is best known for helping Delhi bowl out Chhatisgarh for 201 in 45.1 overs. Khejroliya picked up four wickets for 27 runs.

Star Watch: Delhi captain Gautam Gambhir, who had been in tremendous form in the tournament, failed to score big, getting dismissed for 10 runs.   

Brief Scores

Delhi 245/9 in 50 over (Lakshay Thareja 53 off 72 balls, Pawan Negi 31 off 30 balls) Chhattisgarh 201 in 45.1 overs (Kulwant Khejroliya 4/27). Delhi won by 44 runs.

 

Kerala vs Saurashtra

In another Group B encounter, Kerala beat Saurashtra by 46 runs. The foundation of the victory was laid by Vishnu Vinod and then captain Sachin Baby powered the innings with a swashbuckling 93 off 72 balls to lift Kerala to a formidable total of 316 for 7

In reply, a weakened Saurashtra batting line-up in the absence of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja could only manage 270.

Top Performer: Kerala captain Sachin Baby’s blistering innings gave Kerala the push it needed in the middle order. Baby’s innings of 93 was laced with six hits over the fence and as many boundaries.

Star Watch: Saurashtra’s Robin Uthappa again failed with the bat when much was expected from him. The Knight Riders star was out for 18.

Brief Scores

Kerala 316/7 in 50 overs (Sachin Baby 93 off 72 balls, Vishnu Vinod 62 off 71 balls). Saurashtra 270 in 49.3 overs (Samarth Vyas 91, Chirag Jani 66). Kerala won by 46 runs.