Uthappa slams ton in drawn match

India under-19 opener Robin Uthappa and Sri Lanka `A' skipper Naveed Nawaz blazed sparkling centuries for their teams as the three-day match ended in draw on the third and final day in Rajkot on Thursday.

Resuming at their overnight score of 180 for three, the Lankans declared their second innings on 392 for five just before tea after Nawaz hit a brilliant 116, which was inclusive of 13 hits to the fence.

He put on 107 runs for the fourth wicket with Anushka Pollonwita, who scored a patient 68, inclusive of nine boundaries.

In reply, the Indian colts scored 166 in 26 overs for the loss of two wickets.

Chasing a massive target of 408, with hardly two hours of play left, Indian openers Uthappa and Sachin Dholpure mounted a fiery assault on the Lankan bowlers, scoring at nearly 6.5 runs an over on a track which had little to offer to the bowlers.

Uthappa, whose unbeaten 88 in the recent Asia Cup final against Lankan colts ensured that his team took the trophy home, smashed 18 boundaries and a six in his 102, which came off just 67 balls.

He received good support from a relatively calm Dholpure, who got his half century with

six boundaries, in a first-wicket partnership of 141 runs.

Lanka spinner Mudalige finally got the better of Uthappa, when the latter came out and tried to hit him outside the ground but missed the delivery and was stumped by 'keeper Jaywardene.

Lankan seamer Tharanga Lakshita, who bagged five wickets to reduce the colts to 219 in the first essay, was at the receiving end today, conceding 47 runs off six overs without any success.

The captains of both teams agreed for a draw when the Indian score reached 166 for 2, with hardly 30 minutes left for the end of the play and no result in sight.

Though the match ended in a draw, it was a good warm-up for Lanka `A' ahead of their four-day match against India `A'.

The Indian juniors reaffirmed they will be hard to beat in the under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh in February.

The Lankans take on India `A' at Sardar Patel stadium in Ahmedabad on October 23.

Scoreboard

Sri Lanka (1st innings): 235/9 declared

India (1st innings): 219 all out

Sri Lanka `A' (2nd innings):
T Paranvithane c Raina b A Sharma 19
I Daniels lbw A Sharma 69
N Shiromal c R Uthappa b Kokje 22
N Naved Nawaz retd hurt 116
A Pollonwita c (sub) Sukla b A Sharma 66
P Jayawardane not out 48
K Weeraratne st Karthik b Kokje 9
T Kandamby not out 17

Extras: (b-11, lb-11, nb-3, w-1) 26

Total: (for five wickets decl, 105 overs) 392

Fall of wickets: 1-76, 2-111, 3-121, 4-297, 5-343

Bowling: VRV Singh 18-2-64-0, R P Singh 12-1-45-0, A Sharma 27-6-96-3, R Uthappa 5-0-21-0, A Kokje 28-2-89-2, S Raina 8-0-14-0, A Rayadu 4-0-27-0, R Solanki 3-0-14-0.

India under-19 (2nd innings):
R Uthappa st Jayawardane b Mudalige 102
S Holpure not out 51
T Abbas c & b Kandamby 8
VRV Singh not out 4

Extras: (nb-1) 1

Total: (for two wickets, in 26 overs) 166

Fall of wickets: 1-141, 2-159.

Bowling: Wijesiriwardane 5-0-37-0, Lakshita 6-0-47-0, Weeraratne 5-0-32-0, Mudalige 7-0-35-1, Kandamby 3-0-15-1.