NKP Salve Challenger one-day cricket tournament 2005-06
2005 - 06 Challenger Series
October 10 - 13, 2005
In 1994-95, the Board of Control for Cricket in India introduced the Challenger series, an annual day-night one-day tournament, keeping in view India's one-day international commitments. The India Senior and India A & B teams are the participants. From 1998-99 the tournament was known as the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy, named after former Board of Control for Cricket in India president NKP Salve - the man who brought the World Cup to the sub-continent in 1987.
2005 - 06 Challenger Trophy Schedule:
Oct 10 : India Seniors v India A
Oct 11 : India Seniors v India B
Oct 12 : India A v India B
Oct 13 : Final.
2005 - 06 Challenger Trophy Results:
India Seniors v India A (Oct 10) - A late fightback from
the lower order batsmen enabled India 'A' score a thrilling
one-wicket victory over India Seniors, with two balls to
spare, in the opening match of the Challenger Trophy
tournament.
Chasing a target of 290 in 50 overs, India 'A' were in
the dumps at 234 for 7 in the 42nd over, but some lusty
hitting by V R V Singh and Romesh Powar saw them overhaul
the Seniors' total, finishing on 291 for 9 in 49.4 overs.
Score card
India A won by 1 wicket
India Seniors - 289/8 (50 Overs)
India A - 291/9 (49.4 Overs)
Man of the Match: Venugopal Rao
India Seniors v India B (Oct 11) - India Seniors defeated India 'B' by seven-wicket in the second match of the Challenger Series.
The Seniors' handsome win was founded on an unbroken double century partnership between Yuvraj Singh and Venugopala Rao who helped the team recover from a shaky start and overhaul the India 'B' target of 241 with 25 balls to spare.
Score card
India Seniors won by 7 wickets
India Seniors - 240 all out (49.4 Overs)
India A - 242/3 (45.5 Overs)
Man of the Match: Yuvraj Singh
India A v India B (Oct 12) - A hurricane century by Karnataka's 19-year old Robin Uthappa helped India 'B' pull off a memorable seven-wicket victory over India 'A' and storm into the final of the NKP Salve Challenger Series.
India 'B' needed to achieve the target in 47.3 overs to set up a summit clash with India Seniors on Thursday but Uthappa's blitzkrieg performance made sure they romped home with more than 11 overs to spare.
The victory, with a bonus point, meant that the least favourites of the series finished on top of the table, above Seniors and 'A'.
Score card India B won by 7 wickets
India A - 260/8 (50 Overs)
India B - 264/3 (38.5 Overs)
Man of the Match: A Uthappa
The Finals
India Seniors v India B (Oct 13)) - India Seniors produced a strong performance to defeat India B by three wickets and win the Challenger Series limited overs cricket final for the NKP Salve Trophy at the PCA Stadium here tonight.
After bundling out India B for a modest 177, the Seniors rode on a robust knock by Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan to knock off the required runs with 11 overs to spare.
It was sort of coming of age for Vidyut, son of former Tamil Nadu player Sivaramakrishnan, who cracked 87 from 107 balls with 15 fours. Vidyuts stroke-filled innings more than made up for the early loss of
Sachin Tendulkar who, after a run-a-ball 22 comprising four fours, was consumed by a Piyush Chawla googly.
Score card India Seniors won by 3 wickets
India B - 177 (42.5 Overs)
India Seniors - 181/7 (39 overs)
Man of the Match: Vidyut Shivaramakrishnan