JOIN US Andhra Cricket Association expectedly prevailed over Gujarat Association in the final to emerge champions for the first time in the KSCA Dr (Capt) K Thimmappiah Memorial cricket tournament here on Friday.
On the fourth and final day at the Chinnaswamy stadium, Andhra continued their domination with the bat and reached 527/8 before both the teams decided to end the contest. Andhra bagged the title based on the first innings lead. Gujarat had made 365 all out in their first innings.
Andhra were favourites to seal the title when they resumed from 376 for four, with a slender lead of 11 runs. Gujarat faced a tough task to make a comeback and a 74-run stand between Sumanth and Shoib Md Khan for the sixth wicket added to their misery.
While Sumanth remained unbeaten on 75, Shoib slammed 51. Andhra coach Sanath Kumar was delighted with his team’s show.
“It is their first title and I am very happy with the consistency they showed. They performed well against good teams. The team has developed the quality to fight. Earlier, when they faced big teams or chase big scores, they would give up. Now they are fighting it out. For example, in the first game, KSCA President’s XI got 396 but we chased it.
“Even against Haryana, KSCA main team and in the final they showed the same quality. This is the difference I am seeing now,” he said.
Gujarat skipper Manpreet Juneja felt a bigger total could have helped his side.
“I feel a total in excess of 400 would have put pressure on the opponents. Also five of our batsmen got out playing the same shot. It had never happened in the group stages and unfortunately it happened in the final. Still, there were lot of positives and it was a young side which played well right till the final,” he offered.
Brief scores: Gujarat Cricket Association: 365 all out in 111 overs lost to Andhra Cricket Association (O/n: 376/4): 527/8 in 187.5 overs (D B Prasanth Kumar 27, K S Bharath 54, Jyothi Sai Krishna 91, Ricky Bhui 109, Venugopal Rao 56, Sumanth 75 n.o., Shoib Md Khan 51; Aashav Panchal 3-149).