Uday Pratap, Shiv steer Bathinda to safety

Our Sports Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 22

Fine batting by Uday Pratap Sharan and skipper Shiv Jindal steered Bathinda to a safe position against Ludhiana on the opening day of the three-day match of the Punjab Cricket Championship (U-16) for the ML Markan Trophy being played at the Jathedar Santokh Singh Margind Sports Stadium Sewa Committee, Dulay village, near here, on Sunday.

At the draw of stumps, the visitors were 348 for three after 100 overs with Uday and Shiv holding the fort with individual score of 137 and 114 runs, respectively.

Put into bat, Bathinda lost two wickets early with the scoreboard reading 59 for 2. The opening pair of Hardik Saini and Abeer Kohli contributed 18 and 16 runs, respectively.

Then, Uday Pratap and Jashan Jindal joined their hands to deny the hosts Ludhiana more success. The duo took the score to 156 before Jashan lost his wicket after making 59 runs.

The arrival of Bathinda captain Shiv Jindal at the wicket compounded Ludhiana’s worries as he along with Uday Pratap took hosts bowlers to task. The pair shared an unbroken partnership of 192 runs for the fourth wicket and managed to carry the day without being separated.

Uday Pratap was at the crease with 137 runs against his name with the help of 20 hits over the ropes from 244 balls, while Shiv Jindal was unconquered at 114 runs including 18 boundaries, which came off 192 deliveries.

Ludhiana skipper Lovepreet Singh tried seven bowlers, but failed to extract much success. Aryan Vir Singh captured two wickets for 64 runs in 18 overs and Ayush Maan Jayee got rid of one batsman in 27 overs after conceding 104 runs.