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DEAR REDIFF

Indian XI does it for Sai Baba

The India XI scored a facile 124-run victory over an International XI in the one-day match for the Sri Sathya Sai Unity Cup at the newly built Hill View Stadium in Puttaparthi on Tuesday.

Chasing a victory target of 290 for win in the stipulated 45 overs, the International XI were skittled out for 165 in the 27th over, with medium pacer Venkatesh Prasad (4-37), left arm spinner Sunil Joshi (3-24) and legspinner Sairaj Bahutule (3-16) doing the damage.

Only skipper Arjuna Ranatunga (67) and master blaster Sanath Jayasuria (45) managed to come out of the duel with honours. Shahid Afridi, Saeed Anwar and inform batsman Aravinda D'Silva fell cheaply, chasing the huge India XI target.

India XI, inserted after Ranatunga won the toss, posted 289 for 4 in 45 overs, thanks to an unbeaten 88 by captain Sachin Tendulkar which contained six fours and six sixes. Ajay Jadeja with 77 (11x4, 1x6) and Rahul Dravid 62 (5x4, 1x6) kept up the tempo, and Sairaj Bahutule chipped in with an undefeated 25. Sanath Jayasuria was the most successful bowler with two for 50.

Seven cricketing greats - - Clive Lloyd and Alvin Kallicharan of the West Indies, Zaheer Abbas and Hanif Mohammad of Pakistan, Sunil Gavaskar, S M H Kirmani and E A S Prasanna of India -- were honoured on the occasion.

Prime Minister I K Gujral inaugurated the stadium, in the presence of Sathya Sai Baba the reigning icon of Puttaparthi.

Brief scores:
India XI
289 for four in 45 overs (Ajay Jadeja 77, Rahul Dravid 62, Sachin Tendulkar 88 n.o., Sairaj Bahutule 25 n.o., S Jayasurya 2-50)

International XI
165 in 26.2 overs (Sanath Jayasurya 45, Arjuna Ranatunga 67, B K Venkatesh Prasad 4-37, Sunil Joshi 3-24, Sairaj Bahutule 3-16).