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NEWS ICC Champions Trophy 2006>Sachin leads India Blues to huge victory 02nd Oct 2006 22.49 IST By Agencies Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar 's awesome knock of 139 set the tone for India Blues to score a massive 266 run win over India Greens in the second match of the Challenger Series for the N K P Salve Trophy in Chennai tonight. After Sachin's fireworks and Mahendra Dhoni 's brilliance, illuminated the proceedings and propelled the men in blue to an imposing 381/6 in 50 overs, it turned out to be an abject surrender by the India Greens who were folded up for 115 in 26.4 overs.
Chasing an imposing total, India Green's hopes relied on a quite of players, including former skipper Ganguly, who were on a comeback bid. Ganguly might have impressed the selectors with an economic spell of 5-0-23-0, the best among the Green bowlers especially when Sachin was in rollicking form. But his bat let him down as his stint at the crease lasted just 44 minutes. After what appeared to be a smooth start, Wasim Jaffer (12, 18 balls, 1x4) signalled the shape of things to come falling to a brilliant catch at point by substitute Ravindra Jadeja off Munaf. Ganguly followed suit after hitting four exquisitely timed boundaries in his 30-ball essay. But the manner in which he got out did not befit his stature. Attempting a square drive of Munaf, he only spooned a catch to Jadeja at point. Aiming to make a comeback into the national side after being cold-shouldered for nearly one year, it was yet another failure for Ganguly with the selectors watching. However, all is not lost for him as he gets to play against India Reds in the last league match tomorrow. Even as Patel, promoted up in the order, managed to hold one end up, it was disaster for the Greens as Suresh Raina and skipper Mohammad Kaif fell in a space of nine balls without troubling the scorers. In his ten-ball tenure, Raina was all at sea and offered a tame catch to Harbhajan at covers off Pathan, who also accounted for Kaif in his next over. Kaif tried to cut and hit straight to Dinesh Mongia at point as Greens were reduced to 55 for four in 13.1 overs from 31 for no loss in 5.4 overs. Greens were in further trouble at 91 for seven as Parthiv (43, 38 balls, 8x4) departed followed by Praveen Kumar (0) and S.Lahiri (two). Piyush Chawla was caught at long on by Munaf to give Harbhajan his third wicket. Parthiv was caught down the leg side by Dhoni off Harbhajan, while Praveen stepped out and missed the line. Lahiri could not beat the throw from Irfan and was caught marginally short by the third umpire. Hemang Kamal Badani (20) , Chawla (2) and Ashish Nehra (0) all were caught in the deep as the spineless display by the Greens ended in 26.4 overs. Earlier, Tendulkar served a warning to Champions Trophy contenders with a blistering century for India Blues. Tendulkar blasted 139 runs off just 100 balls hitting 20 fours and four huge sixes in his 159-minute stay at the crease and featured in a 130-run partnership with Pathan for the second wicket. The duo's stand helped the Blues overcome the early loss of Tanmay Srivastav, who was picked for his consistent show for the India under-19 tour to Pakistan. Apart from Tendulkar and Pathan, skipper Rahul Dravid chipped in with 62. Dhoni, in his usual inimitable style, struck an unbeaten 79 and put on 53 runs in just 23 balls with Ajit Agarkar (17) for the unfinished seventh wicket. Opening the attack for the Greens, Lakshmipathy Balaji started off with two wides before claiming the wicket of Srivastav. Nehra was more penetrative. However, Tendulkar and Irfan found their moorings and made inroads for big scores. In fact, the top four bowlers - Balaji, Nehra, Praveen Kumar and Chawla - gave away 161 runs between them in 24 overs. Pathan had more of the strike and reached his 50 in just 45 balls, hitting four boundaries and three sixes, two off Nehra and one off Praveen Kumar. Tendulkar played second fiddle at that stage, making 28 runs. Pathan added four runs before he was caught at long on by Sourasish Lahari off Chawla delivery in his second over. Chawla came in for punishment in his first over, giving away 21 runs, in which Tendulkar hit two sixes and two fours. Tendulkar continued to thrive in the company of Dravid. The pair hoisted the fifty stand in 33 minutes off 49 balls, despite Tendulkar escaping being run out on 73 when the total was 140/2. Kaif tried to break the pair, bringing on Badani, Ganguly and Lahari. Ganguly's bowling was noteworthy, as he was more economical and attacking than the regular bowlers. He almost got the wicket of Tendulkar, who had a genuine snick to a delivery. But the ball landed at least 10 yards before third man Praveen Kumar. Tendulkar departed in a bizarre fashion, getting out to an ordinary delivery from Lahari, going for a swipe and ending up offering a straightforward catch to Kaif at midwicket. His 139 in 159 minutes of 100 balls with 20 fours and four sixes. By then Blues were already in a commanding position at 226 for 3. After a 94 run-stand off 91 balls for the third wicket with Tendulkar, Dravid was caught at mid-wicket, pulling too soon at Nehra. Dravid made 62 off 63 balls (2x4; 3x6). Yuvraj (19) whose first scoring shot was a mighty six into the stands over the pavilion, was out to a very good catch by Chawla off Praveen Kumar. Mongia lasted two deliveries, falling to Balaji with Kaif bringing up a good catch in the covers. Dhoni stuck to his crease, though three wickets fell at the other end and remained unbeaten on 79, along with Agarkar (17). For India Greens, Balaji claimed 2/68 while Nehra, Praveen Kumar, Chawla and Lahari took a wicket each. Also View In-Depth Coverage: ICC Champions Trophy 2006 Team Page: India Team Page: Australia | LIVE CRICKET COVERAGE NEWS ~ Gilchrist has no plans to retire after World Cup ~ Ganguly's new batting approach may cost him sixer record ~ India 'squash the Orange' in World Cup warm-up game ~ Symonds gets a new hairdo for World Cup ~ Dhoni readies himself for stand-up act at World Cup (more in NEWS) FACE-TO-FACE ~ 500-mark a possibility in World Cup: Hayden ~ Minnows add charm to World Cup: Dravid (more in FACE-TO-FACE) COLUMNS ~ Will Sri Lanka replicate 1996 World Cup success? (more in COLUMNS) OFF-THE-FIELD ~ Ganguly again the darling of corporate world ~ Ganguly roped in as brand ambassador of Puma (more in OFF-THE-FIELD) PLAYERS Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble (more PLAYERS) TEAMS India, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, West Indies, Zimbabwe, England, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Kenya, Holland | 
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