An inspired Punjab Cricket Club scored a comprehensive 95-run victoryover Air India in the 7th JP Atray Memorial cricket tournament inChandigarh today and secured a berth in the semi-finals

Rakesh Sanghi27-Sep-2000An inspired Punjab Cricket Club scored a comprehensive 95-run victoryover Air India in the 7th JP Atray Memorial cricket tournament inChandigarh today and secured a berth in the semi-finals.PCC piled up a huge total of 321 runs for the loss of six wickets intheir allotted 50 overs. In reply, Air India could muster only 226runs for the loss of eight wickets.The PCC skipper called correctly and had no hesitation in battingfirst. Former Test player Paras Mhambrey got the first breakthrough asRavneet Ricky was trapped in front of the stumps by a delivery whichkept low. Skipper Vikram Rathour, who had started off cautiously,opened up later and hammered six boundaries to all parts of theground. His knock of 38 came off 44 deliveries. Manish Sharma, whoscored an elegant fifty in the first match, started from where he leftoff as he opened with an exquisite cover drive.Rathour, who was shaping well, was bowled by Pritam Gandhe as he triedto cut a delivery which was not too short. Munish Sharma too did notlast long, being stumped off the bowling of Mander Dalvi. ReetinderSodhi joined Dinesh Mongia at the crease when the scoreboard read 134for the loss of three wickets. Both of them initially built theirinnings by taking singles and twos.Mongia, who has been in good form this season, was in fine nick fromthe very first ball. Using his feet to the spinners, he displayed afine array of strokes. His drive through extra covers were a treat towatch. He completed his 50 off 51 deliveries with two fours and twosixes. At the other end, Sodhi gave him good company by rotating thestrike.Mongia completed his century off just 86 balls. He then opened up,smashing 20 runs in one over including two sixes and two fours ofMander Dalvi. He was finally stumped off the same bowler, when whiletrying to reverse sweep a flighted delivery, he lost balance in theprocess. He scored a belligerent 122 off 94 deliveries which included10 boundaries and four huge sixes. Sodhi remained unbeaten on 78which he scored off 70 balls with the help of one boundary and fourpower packed sixes.Mhambrey, Pritam Gandhe and Mander Dalvi took two wickets each, givingaway 53, 53 and 61 runs respectively. Sairaj Bahutule proved to bevery expensive, giving away 75 runs in his allotted 10 overs withoutreward.Air India XI sent in Bahutule as a pinch hitter to open with AltafMarchent. But he failed to deliver the goods as he was caught off thebowling of Gagandeep for 20. Though Tariq-ur-Rehman and Neeraj Patel(51, 71b, 4×4) were involved in a partnership of 86 for the thirdwicket, the duo took 118 balls to compile the runs. This onlyincreased the required run rate. Much then depended on former Indianplayer Praveen Amre. But he was run out following a mixup when 11including one six. HS Sodhi wielded the willow to good effect (45,44b, 3×4, 3×6) but it was a case of too little too late. Left armspinner Navdeep Singh was the most successful bowler with a haul ofthree wickets for 40 runs in a spell of 10 overs.