Faiz hits crucial unbeaten ton

 

 

MOHD Faiz played a captain’s knock to bail out Vidarbha from trouble on the opening day of their Cooch Behar quarter-final match against Maharashtra at DY Patil Academy, Pune on Saturday.

The left-handed batter walked in the middle when Vidarbha were precariously placed at 50 for four.

With top four failing against the pace of Yash Borkar and Prathamesh Gawade, Mohd Faiz took the mattle in his hand and steadied the rocking ship with an unbeaten 120 runs. From 50-4, Vidarbha ended the day at 237 for five, with Faiz and Dharmendra Thakur (49*) adding an unbeaten 125 runs for the sixth wicket.

Vidarbha, who elected to bat first, had a poor start as they lost opener Neel Athley on the last delivery of the first over of the day when Maharashtra captain SS Das caught him off Borkar. Tushar Suryavanshi too fell cheaply giving an asy catch to Sahil Autade off Gawade. In-form Danish Malewar shocking failed as he managed to score only one run.

Rohit Binkar managed to score 26 before being sent back by Gawade. He and Faiz added 29 runs for fourth wicket.

After Binkar’s fall Jagjot (31) joined Faiz in the middle and the two started the repair work. Both managed to ease some pressure adding 62 runs for the fifth wicket before Jagjot was caught by Arshin Kulkarni off Gawade.

Dharmendra Raut (49*) then played a crucial innings giving support to his captain and the two had added 125 runs for the sixth wicket when the stumps were drawn.

Faiz, who is undefeated, has consumed 243 deliveries and has hit 12 fours and a six till now. Thakur is one shy of his half century. He has slammed cleared the fence on four occasion till now. For Maharashtra, Borkar and Gawade shared five wickets.