Ravikant Shukla's brilliant knock puts IOC in final
New Delhi   07-Sep-2010

A smashing unbeaten 123 by Ravikant Shukla helped IndianOil to a big total.

Indian Income Tax made a determined bid to reach the 309-run target, but the IOC bowlers came good to help the team to a 63-run victory and make the final of the Airtel Rajsingh Dungarpur Corporate Trophy tournament at the ACA-VDCA stadium here.

IOC meets India Cements in the final on Wednesday.

Income Tax launched into attack-mode from the start.

The loss of Hiten Shah in the first over was soon forgotten as Ameya Shrikhande, with a run-a-ball 114 (11x4, 2x6) led the chase dominating the IOC bowling.

Amol Ubarhande and Jay Desai might have got themselves run out unnecessarily, but the 96-run stand for the fourth wicket with Bhavik Thakker (45) gave every hope for the team.

Meanwhile, left-arm spinner Rajesh Pawar and Amith Dani with his medium pace, who earlier boosted the run rate for IOC in the company of Shukla, steadily exerted pressure on the batsmen and when Thaker edged to wicketkeeper Pinal Shah, Income Tax sensed trouble. After Shrikhande was bowled by Pawar as he stepped out to punish him, it never recovered.

A good toss to win

IOC, after winning the toss, made full use of the batting wicket. The bearded captain, Wasim Jaffer (38, 4x7, 1x6), began the innings with a stand of 61 with Paresh Patel (34, 3x4).

Ravikant Shukla was at his punishing best smashing the IT bowlers all around. He hit eight fours and three sixes, sending Ankit Sharma over mid-wicket and Ajitesh Argal and Love Abilish over long-on.

He added 52 for the third wicket with Cheteshwar Pujara (21) and 60 with Harpreet Singh (24), but the best part of the innings was the rollicking unbeaten 97-run stand for the fifth wicket with Dani (49, 3x4,4x6, 25 b) which was dominated by the latter.

The scores:

IndianOil 308 for four in 50 overs (Ravikant Shukla 123 n.o., Amith Dani 41 n.o.) bt Indian Income Tax 241 in 46 overs (Ameya Shrikhande 114, Bhavik Thakker 45).