Air India build on Marathe-Gurav stand

MUMBAI: The batsmen who hadn't clicked earlier did so for Air India on Monday. And with the constant factor, their skipper Hrishikesh Kanitkar coming off once again with an unbeaten hundred, Air India ended the opening day in a commanding position of 347 for four against DY Patil in the Times Cricket Shield A Division final at the MIG ground. Air India are looking for their third title and DYP their first.
Left-hand opener Sushant Marathe (72, 94 balls 11 fours 1 six), who had been getting out after being set, began stroking well through the off side and the DYP seamers had a fight on their hands.Marathe at the other end had Onkar Gurav, the varsity skipper back after an unsuccessful Vizzy trophy campaign. Gurav hit 58 off 99 balls with nine well-struck fours adding 134 for the opening stand.
Late in the day another player not among the runs and dogged by injury, Paul Valthaty, began striking the ball ominously and was unbeaten on 57 (95 balls, 7 forus, 5 sixes) adding 111 for the unfinished fifth wicket stand. Paul broke loose towards the end with the shots he is known to unleash.
Kanitkar, who had hit a hundred earlier and a 90, was quick to judge the length and but for an occasion when he all but cut a ball from Iqbal Abdulla into his stumps, gave little hope to the bowlers.
With four batters making runs the failures of the success stories of the previous game, Rohan Kerkar (17) and Prashant Naik (18), didn't matter. Kerkar hit a faster one from Iqbal Abdulla back at the bowler. Naik was pushed back by offspinner Siddharth Chitnis for a lbw verdict.
Said Kanitkar,"The Times Shield gave me exposure to big cricket at a young age. I have always used the chance this tournament affords to sharpen my game by watching good players in my youth and battling against contemporary stars."
Scores:
Air India 347-4 (Onkar Gurav 58, Sushant Marathe 72, Hrishikesh Kanitkar batting 103, Paul Valthaty batting 57, Abhishek Raut 2-117) vs DY Patil Group.