Chennai, Aug 29 (Representative) Hyderabad and TNCA President’s XI recorded big wins with a day to spare and stormed into the semifinals on the third day of the All India Buchi Babu cricket tournament held in various venues in Tamil Nadu on Thursday. While Hyderabad thumped Madhya Pradesh by an innings and 229 runs, TNCA President’s XI, despite conceding a huge first innings, defeated Gujarat by five wickets, thanks to an eight wicket burst (eight for 21) by left arm spinner and skipper M Siddarth, who finished with a match haul of 14 for 97.
In a Group A match at Tirunelveli, Hyderabad, resuming at 459 for five, piled up 560 for six before declaring their innings on the third day. Madhya Pradesh, who scored 207 in the first innings, was bowled out for 124 in 47 overs as Hyderabad won with a bonus point with a day to spare. In a Group B match at Salem, Gujarat, enjoying the cushion of 160 runs first innings lead, resumed at six for two and were bowled out for 58 runs in their second essay with Siddarth returning with a career best figures of 16-6-21-8 in an unchanged spell, spinning a web Requiring to make 219 to win, the home team overhauled the target, finishing at 220 for five in just 38.4 overs to win with a day to spare as opener Andre Siddarth struck his maiden ton and remained unbeaten on 115 hitting 15 fours and four sixers in his 94-ball essay to fashion a comfortable win.
In other matches, TNCA XI were in the driver’s seat after setting an imposing target of 510 runs for Mumbai, who were bowled out for 156, resuming at 141 for eight, in reply to TNCA’s 379. The home team, having secured a 223 runs lead, scored 286 in the second innings. Mumbai finished the day at six for no loss and will pin its hopes on star cricketer Suryakumar Yadav, who managed just 30 in the first innings. In Group D, Baroda (327) conceded 100 runs lead to Chhattisgarh (427) and were nine for no loss in their second essay, when bad light curtailed play at Dindigul. Anuj Tiwari, resuming at 84, went on to score a fine century (114, 12×4, 4x6s). Thanks to fine contributions from the lower order, Chhattisgarh, resuming at 214 for two, scored 427 in their first innings.