Shahabuddin's timely knock helps Andhra stage a draw

Vijayawada, Jan 5 (UNI) A timely knock of 95 by middle order batsman K S Shahabuddin helped Andhra draw with Delhi on the concluding day of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group-A Match being played at the Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation Stadium here.

After losing their first four wickets for paltry 50 runs, Andhra recovered with a useful knock of 33 by wicketkeeper M S K Prasad (108 balls 2x4 and R V C Prasad, who contributed 42 runs 28 balls, eight fours) when their team was in dire straits.

When both the wickets were lost, Andhra were tottering at 144 for 6, but Shahabuddin's timely and brilliant knock (163 balls, 6x4 steered his team out of the woods.

Md Faiq made a valiant 47, enjoying a 94-run partnership with Shahabuddin for the seventh wicket.

After Andhra lost Faiq and Lakshma Kishore (1) at 239, tailender Kalyan Krishna ably assisted Shahabuddin in their partnership worth 84 for the ninth wicket.

Shahabuddin, however, departed at 323 with ten runs short of victory. The last batsman P Vijay Kumar in the company of Kalyan, who made 40 (69 balls, 7x4) scored only five runs in the last-but-one-over.

In the last over, when the hosts needed five runs in six balls.

Kalayan could score only a single off the bowling of Delhi's lanky paceman Ishant Sharma and drew the match with the visitors.

For Delhi, Amit Bhandari and Ishant Sharma were successful in picking up three wickets each.

Earlier, resuming their overnight score of 160 for 3, Delhi declared their second innings at 186 for 4 following a magnificent ton by skipper Mithun, who remained unbeaten with 101.

Delhi gained 2 points in this match.

Andhra will play against Uttar Pradesh in their next encounter at Kanpur from January 11, while Delhi take on Haryana.

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