GUWAHATI, Feb 1 � Assam handed Andhra Pradesh a 10-wicket drubbing and took the top spot in the Ranji Trophy Group C point table.
As expected Assam snubbed off the Andhra tail in 41.2 overs as left arm spinner J Syed Mohammad took all the remaining four wickets after adding 82 runs to their overnight total of 116 and were all out for 198. The host team hit out the requiring 25 runs in 12.1 overs without losing any wickets to complete the formality. Openers Pallav Das and KB Arun Karthik remained unbeaten with 16 and 9 respectively.
On the final day of the four-day match at the Barsapara stadium here today, Assam created a history by winning the top slot in group with 35 points from seven outings. Assam is in an unassailable position as Himachal Pradesh is at the second spot in the group with 27 points also from seven outings.
It is for the second time that Assam reached the quarterfinal stage in the Ranji Trophy main round. Earlier, Assam made it to the last-eight stage in the year 2009-10 season when they went down to Uttar Pradesh at the NF Railway Stadium, Maligaon.
The visiting batsmen today failed to stage a fightback as Syed Mohammad was in terrific form. He drew adequate support from the wicket and took all the remaining wickets. D Naren Reddy, unbeaten on two yesterday, was the only batsman to have some touch and he remained unbeaten on 51. He faced 163 balls during his unbeaten knock. He struck six boundaries and two towering sixes.
SCORECARD
Andhra 1st innings: 137
Assam 1st innings: 317
Andhra 2nd innings (Overnight 116 for 6) DB Prasanth c Arun Karthik b Purkayastha 18, KS Bharat c Tarjinder Singh b Arup Das 26, MUB Sriram c PP Das b Purkayastha 2, M Kaif st Arun Karthik b Purkayastha 11, AG Pradeep c Tarjinder Singh b Syed Mohammad 32, RK Bhui c Tarjinder Singh b Syed Mohammad 3, M Suresh c Tarjinder Singh b Sharma 18, D Naren Reddy not out 51, D Siva Kumar c Jadhav b Syed Mohammad 2, CV Stephen lbw b Syed Mohammad 8, DP Vijaykumar c & b Syed Mohammad 1. Extras: (b 22, lb 8) 30; Total: (all out; 90.2 overs) 198. Fall of wickets: 1-48, 2-50, 3-50, 4-96, 5-99, 6-104, 7-151, 8-158, 9-190, 10-198. Bowling: Arup Das 14-5-25-1, Krishna Das 7-2-17-0, J Syed Mohammad 23.2-10-27-5, Abu Nechim Ahmed 9-4-15-0, Sarupam Purkayastha 26-11-69-3, Sib Sankar Roy 1-1-0-0, Tarjinder Singh 1-0-4-0, Gokul Sharma 9-3-11-1.
Assam 2nd innings: Pallav Das not out 16, KB Arun Karthik not out 9. Extras: 0; Total: (0 wickets; 12.1 overs) 25. Bowling: Stephen 4.1-2-20. S Kumar 5-4-1-0, N Reddy 3-2-4-0.
