Ricky Bhui delayed the inevitable with a stubborn hundred, but spinners Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian eventually brought India D to their knees as India A walked away with an 186-run win in the Duleep Trophy match in Anantapur on Sunday. (More Cricket News)
Bhui, starting from overnight 44, made 113 (195b, 14x4, 3x6) but India D, overnight 62, were bundled out for 301, chasing 488.
The victory enabled India A to stay in contention for the title with 6 points. But they will have to get a favourable result against table-toppers India C (9 points) in their next match in Anantapur on September 19.
India D, out of the title race after two successive defeats, will be up against second-placed India B, who have 7 points.
On a pitch that gave copious assistance to the spinners, the 'D' batters needed to show tremendous application to hang around. But apart from Bhui none really showed the stomach for a fight.
Bhui's second-wicket stand with Yash Dubey (37) was worth 100 runs but Dubey got run out, and in his next over Mulani castled Devdutt Padikkal to push India D to 105 for three.
They managed to stitch two useful stands for two subsequent wickets – a 53 between Bhui and skipper Shreyas Iyer (41, 55b, 8x4) and a 62 between Bhui and Sanju Samson (40, 45b, 3x4, 3x6).
But their stands were more about aggression, and the approach was fraught with danger on a pitch where spinners called the shots.
Both Shreyas and Samson were cleaned up by Mulani, who was later adjudged player of the match. A sharply turned one accounted for Shreyas while Samson failed to connect a pull as the ball disturbed the timber.
While wickets were tumbling constantly at the other end, Bhui was a picture of confidence and brought up his century in 170 balls.
Then off-spinner Tanush Kotian got into the act and started his demolition job by removing Saransh Jain (5), and six overs later he ousted Bhui, who holed out to Riyan Parag in the deep.
It ended the fight of India D even as Kotian went on to add two more wickets – Saurabh Kumar (22) and Harshit Rana (24).
Brief scores: India A: 290 and 380/3 declared beat India D: 183 and 301 all out in 82.2 overs (Ricky Bhui 113, Shreyas Iyer 41, Sanju Samson 40; Shams Mulani 3/117, Tanush Kotian 4/73) by 186 runs.
