Ranji Trophy: Hyderabad relegated

Hyderabad,Dec 18: Tamil Nadu’s mammoth 785 runs in reply to host Hyderabad’s 347 made sure that the home team was on Friday relegated to the Plate Division in the elite Ranji Trophy cricket tournament.The Super League Group A match which ended in a tame draw ensured that Hyderabad, at one time considered a cricketing powerhouse,will play the next season for the first time in Plate Division.  

At the start of the match the hosts needed an outright win to stay afloat in the Super League,but Tamil Nadu batsmen, buoyed by the news that their quarterfinal spot already secure,ran amok.The Tamil Nadu batsmen took the match as an opportunity to get some good batting practice and flayed the Hyderabad attack to all parts of the ground. Friday saw the Tamil Nadu batsmen adding another 191 runs to their overnight score and extend the overall first innings lead to a mammoth 438 runs.

Abhinav Mukund's double ton and Badrinath’s impressive 122, combined with Ganapathy’s splendid 126 ensured that the hosts were demoted to the Plate Division in India’s premier domestic tournament.Hyderabad had reached 148 for the loss of two wickets when stumps were drawn.Abhinav Kumar remained unbeaten on 103 off 92 balls with 13 fours and two hits over the fence.Tamil Nadu will now play Delhi for the semifinal spot at Palam from Dec 24.