Kanpur: Selectors decision to let free Priyam Garg from captaincy’s burden paid a dividend to Uttar Pradesh (UP) as his fine knock of 115 runs and his 180 runs partnership with Aksh Deep Nath helped his team to drub the challenge of Railways by 70 runs in group C round IV match of Vijay Hazare Trophy played at Alur Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday.
UP with this match has recorded victory in its three out of four ties. UP has collected 12 points and is heading for the knock-out phase.
Priyam who had been assigned to lead UP team in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy had failed to impress by his bat and selectors decided to let free him from burden and bat freely. Priyam in a previous match had scored a fine half-century and before that he had played a knock of 40-odd runs.
Against Railways he was in flying colour. Stroking beautifully rival bowlers, he scored 115 runs in 99 balls plundering 16 boundaries and 2 sixes. Aksh Deep Nath supported him from other end and the two sent Railways fielders for a leather hunt in most of the inning.
UP lost Karan Sharma (5) cheaplybBut Abhishek and Priyam controlled the situation adding 61 runs for the second wicket.
Thereafter Priyam and Aksh Deep stole the show. Two batsmen opened the face of their bat and cut and drove rival bowlers beautifully. It was Aksh Deep’s bad luck that he missed his century by 7 runs. He too faced 99 balls for his 93 runs consisting 10 hits to the fence and 3 sixes. In fact, their union broke when Priyam was caught in front of wicket of Anant Saha.
Sameer Chaudhary and Bhuvneshwar in 4.5 overs slogged and scored 34 and 30 runs, respectively, in 17 and 14 balls and they scored 65 runs in their unbeaten union. For Railways, Ananta Saha bagged 3 wickets.
Mrunal Devdhar and Pratham Singh gave Railways a moderate start adding 51 runs for the opening wicket. They were 117 for 4 after 21.5 overs. And it was appearing that UP will dominate now. But one down Shivam Chaudhary, who stood like a rock, changed the complexion of the game in the company of Saurabh Singh and the two added 117 runs for the fifth wicket and indicted that target could be achieved.
But from other end batsmen could not stick in the middle as a result wickets fell at regular intervals. Shivam tried to play from both ends but his efforts failed when he was held by Abhishek of Bhuvneshwar after scoring 107 runs. Thereafter match was a formality as Railways innings folded on 276 runs in 46.1 overs.
UP coach Gyanendra Pandey praised the batting of Priyam and Aksh Deep Nath. “Priyam is now batting without any pressure and this would help him in achieving his confidence,” he added.
Brief score
UP: 346 for 6 (Abhishek Goswami 32, Priyam Garg 115, Aksh Deep Nath 93, Rinku Singh 21, Upendra Yadav 12, Sameer Chaudhary 34no, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 34, Ananta Saha 3 for 66, Amit Mishra 1 for 61, Saurabh Singh 1 for 19, Karn Sharma 1 for 56)
Railways: (Mrunal Devdhar 36, Pratham Singh 33, Shivam Chaudhary 107, Dinesh Mor 10, Saurabh Singh 51, Bhuvneshwar 2 for 49, Mohsin Khan 1 for 63, Shivam Mavi 4 for 51, Karan Sharma 1 for 15, Shivam Sharma 1 for 57)