02-Aug-2009 184
Orissa suffered a narrow six-run defeat at the hands of Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) in a keenly-contested match of the Karnataka State Cricket Association Invitation Tournament at Bangalore today.
In reply to the railway side’s total of 241, Orissa were dismissed for 235. The defeat dealt a solid blow to Orissa Cricket Association, which put up a hand-picked team in order to create an impression that the state body was also spending money from its huge coffer to form a strong State senior team.
Among Orissa’s successful performers, bowers Bibhudutta Panda and Santosh Jena bagged four wicket each, while captain Niranjan Behera and Natraj Behera batted for a half-century apiece.
Brief scores: Railway 241/9 in 79.3 overs (D Sankar 54, M Rao 54 (B Panda and S Jena 4 wkts each) beat Orissa 235/10 in 76.3 overs (N Behera 67, N Behera 52, RR Das 28, P Patel 22: Amkar Salvi 4 wkts).
