Tamil Nadu's supremacy continues

Dinesh Karthik's superb performance with the bat extended Tamil Nadu's supremacy in the Vijay Hazare Trophy — India's premier one-day competition — for another year.

Arriving at the wicket after Murali Vijay was superbly held by Manjoj Tiwary at mid-off, the determined Tamil Nadu captain danced down the pitch and punched seamer Ashok Dinda straight down the ground for a thundering four.

He then came up with a commanding, power-packed display to take his side to 379 and secure the title for the second year running by 29 runs. Karthik's big hitting, after he promoted himself in the order, confirmed the terrific form he has been enjoying in the ongoing season.

Useful contributions

Openers S. Anirudha and Vijay, and left-hander Abhinav Mukund played their parts — in contrasting manners — but it was Karthik's 47-ball 88 (3x6, 11x4) and his partnership with R. Sathish during the batting Power Play that produced 68 runs. This took the pressure off the Tamil Nadu bowlers on a featherbed of a pitch in the final played at the Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium here at Motera.

Earlier, Tamil Nadu won the toss and opted to bat. Vijay (103, 102b, 7x4, 3x6) with correct foot-work and defence found his shots initially travelling straight to the fielders, but after Anirudha (56, 52b, 9x4) departed, Vijay took charge with a flurry of deflections, lofted shots and carpet drives.

Three sixes of Pakre took him to his century before an inside-out shot against Pakre offered a chance and Tiwary sprinted about 10 metres to take the catch. Mukund opted to play second fiddle to Vijay during the second-wicket stand, but once the ball was changed in the 35th over, the left-hander got into the act hammering Pakre and Bose for two sixes.

Karthik and Sathish's remarkable show of aggression fetched Tamil Nadu 164 runs in the last 15 overs; just 14 runs came in the last two because Sathish fell after a 17-ball 36 (3x4, 2x6) and Karthik departed after touching a strike-rate of 187.33.

Bengal began with a 40-run opening partnership between Aridham Das and Goswami at six an over. The top team from the East was not easily tamed; Goswami (81,84b) and Ganguly (74, 66b) delivered 17 boundaries and nine sixes, but fell victims to the enormity of the task.

R. Ashwin and Anirudha reprieved Shreevats Goswami when on 19 and 45, but once Sathish held Ganguly (at long-off), Goswami (point) and Tiwary (mid-wicket), the run-rate shot up and made it a tough task for the lower order.

The scores:

Tamil Nadu: S. Anirudha b Pakre 56, M. Vijay c Tiwary b Pakre 103, A. Mukund b Shukla 75, D. Karthik c Shukla b Dinda 88, R. Sathish b Shukla 36, S. Badrinath c Lahiri b Tiwary 9, S. Suresh Kumar (not out) 2, R. Ashwin (not out) 1; Extras (b-1, lb-5, w-3): 9. Total (for six wkts. in 50 overs): 379.

Fall of wickets: 1-85, 2-205, 3-269, 4-335, 5-362, 6-375

Bengal bowling: Bose 9-1-65-0, Dinda 10-0-72-1, Shukla 10-0-77-2, Pakre 8-0-75-2, Lahiri 7-0-39-0, Ganguly 3-0-16-0, Tiwary 3-0-29-1

Bengal: A. Das c Anirudha b Ganapathy 11, S. Goswami c Sathish b Yomahesh 81, S. Ganguly c Sathish b Badrinath 74, M. Tiwary c Sathish b Ganapathy 18, L. R. Shukla b Yomahesh 11, W. Saha (run out) 26, A. Majumdar c Mukund b Ganapathy 66, S. Lahiri c Badrinath b Yomahesh 20, A. Dinda (not out) 28, S. Pakre (not out) 2: Extras (b-2, lb-3, nb-2, w-6): 13; Total (for eight wkts. in 50 overs): 350

Fall of wickets: 1-40, 2-160, 3-188, 4-196, 5-205, 6-238, 7-301, 8-341

Tamil Nadu bowling: Ganapathy 10-2-63-3, Ashwin 9-0-53-0, Suresh Kumar 5-0-41-0, Balaji 10-0-57-0, Yomahesh 10-0-79-3, Sathish 3-0-23-0, Badrinath 1-0-12-1, Mukund 2-0-17-0.