India Blue continue their winning run by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

---

Ground:	Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur
Scorecard:	India Blue v India Green
Player:	A Mukund, W Jaffer, TM Srivastava
Event:	NKP Salve Challenger Trophy 2009/10

---

DateLine: 10th October 2009

 

At the end off the day it was an easy win for the India Blue side as they defeated a soulless India Green side by 88 runs. A massive 265 run partnership between Jaffer and Mukund was enough to deflate the spirits off India Green as India Blue proceeded to pile up a mammoth total of 351 for the loss off 2 wickets in 50 overs. India Green in reply barring the first wicket stand never looked in a position to chase down the target and at the end off their stipulated 50 overs scored 263 for the loss off 9 wickets.

 

Opting to bat first on a placid track, Mukund and Jaffer did not have any trouble in facing a toothless bowling attack of India Green. Though both the batsmen did not play a shot in violence both managed to keep the scoreboard moving with sharp singles and by punishing the loose offerings. Nothing that Raina did stopped the flow off runs as the batsmen maintained a healthy run-rate. The pair helped their team past the 200 run mark in the 34th over and once Mukund got dismissed, in came Dhoni. Dhoni hit a breezy unbeaten 34 from 25 balls, while Yusuf Pathan biffed 34 from 18 to further deflate the attack.

 

In reply, Srikkanth and Srivastava put on 118 in 19 overs but once Harbhajan cleaned up the former the innings lost steam. Raina's problem with the short-ball persisted when he edged one behind while the rest off the batting caved in meekly. Srivastava completed a dour century and once he was dismissed, nothing much remained.