BHILWARA, March 20: Wills XI, stepped across their first hurdle quite effortlessly in the Wills Trophy Championship with an emphatic 52-run victory over Bangladesh Cricket Board XI (BCB XI) here today.Though four of the 14-member squad reached here only late yesterday night, the home collection had more than enough in its talent bank at the Sukhadia Stadium to ensure a comfortable journey into the semi-finals.
Put into bat, Wills XI piled up a formidable 283 for four, as left-hand opener Daniel Manohar hung on till the 50th over to record a focussed 131 in just 153 balls. Then, leg-spinner KN Ananthapadmanabhan and left-armer Sunil Joshi plucked out two scalps each to leave the visitors far behind at 231 for eight in their full quota.
There was a cool cameo in between from Devang Gandhi, who was unfortunately adjudged lbw, just five runs from his century. By then, Gandhi had done most of the scoring (101b, 9x4) in a 173-run stand for the second wicket in 31.4 overs.
Thereafter, Manohar, a 24-year-oldin his debut season, shifted gears to smash nine fours and three sixes, after a laboured 50 off 98 balls in Gandhi's shadow. Manohar's transformation -- the next 81 coming in 65 balls -- fitted in nicely with the general plan as the Bangladeshis faded out of the picture.
Despite a brave 84, including four sixes, from wicket-keeper Atiar Rehman and a determined 52 from Habibul Dashar, the run chase was never on after Prasad had veteran opener Athar Ali Khan caught behind for 2. Then, Padmanabhan and Joshi spun out the middle-order on a pitch full of runs to close the affair as a contest.
SCOREBOARD
Wills XI: Nikhil Haldipur lbw Anisur Rehman 19, Daniel Manohar c Azam Iqbal b Anisur Rehman 131, Devang Gandhi lbw Mushfiqur Rehman 95, Rohan Gavaskar c Atiar Rehman b Mushfiqur Rehman 14, Venka Pratap not out 9, Sunil Joshi not out 2.
Extras: (lb5, w8) 13.
Total: (for four wickets in 50 overs) 283.
Did not bat: Rajiv Kumar, MSK Prasad, KN Ananthapadmanabhan, N Madhukar& Venkatesh Prasad.
Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-196, 3-230, 4-280.
Bowling: Zakir Hassan 6-2-20-0; Anisur Rehman 6-0-48-2; Ather Ali Khan 7-0-39-0; Enamul Hoque Moni 7-1-41-0; Fahim Rehman 7-0-45-0; Habibul Bashar 10-0-48-0; Mushfiqur Rehman 7-0-37-2
Bangladesh Cricket Board XI: Ather Ali Khan c MSK Prasad b Prasad 2, Azam Iqbal c MSK Prasad b Madhukar 12, Habibul Bashar st MSK Prasad b Joshi 52, Sajjad Ahmed Shippon st MSK Prasad b KN Ananthapadmanabhan 19, Enamul Hoque Moni lbw KN Ananthapadmanabhan 2, Atiar Rehman b Joshi 84, Hassan Nuzzaman b Rohan Gavaskar 3, Fahim Rehman b Madhukar 21, Mushfiqur Rehman not out 12, Anisur Rehman not out 3.
Extras: (b1, lb3, nb1, w16) 21.
Total: (for eight wickets, in 50 overs) 231
Did not bat: Zakir Hassan.
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-39, 3-87, 4-96, 5-104, 6-119, 7-190, 8-225
Bowling: Venkatesh Prasad 10-1-25-1; Madhukar 10-0-60-2; KN Ananthapadmanabhan 10-0-48-2; Venka Pratap 4-0-20-0; Sunil Joshi10-0-46-2; Rohan Gavaskar 6-0-28-1.
Result: Wills XI won by 52 runs
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
