da brwin： Uttar Pradesh were in the driver’s seat speeding into the final, in thethree day Vijay Merchant Trophy (under-16) semifinal against Punjab at theEden Gardens on Wednesday
Staff Reporter10-Jan-2001Uttar Pradesh were in the driver’s seat speeding into the final, in thethree day Vijay Merchant Trophy (under-16) semifinal against Punjab at theEden Gardens on Wednesday. After having bowled out Punjab cheaply for 160on the first day, UP got to the all important first innings lead withease. At close of play UP were sitting pretty with 248/4 in 92 overs.Earlier in the day resuming at 4/0 UP got off to a commanding start thanksto their opening pair of the Shuklas. Shiva Kant Shukla was the first to bedismissed for 34, caught and bowled by Vipul Sharma at 86. Shiva hit fiveboundaries in his 110 minute vigil at the crease. Vipul made another quickbreakthrough, removing Tahir Abbas for six to leave UP at 94/2.Ravi Kant Shukla carried on his good form and was distinctly unlucky tomiss out on the three figure mark as he was dismissed for 92 at 142. Beforebeing bowled by Ankur Jand, Ravi was at the crease for 205 minutes, facing177 balls and smashing 14 boundaries. Aris Alam and Rahat Ilahi gottogether and saw that UP got past the first innings score of Punjab andcarried on to make their individual half centuries. Rahat Ilahi was bowledby Gursharan Singh for 51. Ilahi had faced 106 balls, striking eightboundaries in his 132 minute long innings. At close of play Aris Alamremained unbeaten on 52 with Alok Singh on eight.