MUMBAI, OCT 16: Intermittent rains during the day cast a wet spell on the concluding day of the Times Shield A Division opening round matches today.Play at Western Railway ground, Mahalaxmi and MiG Club ground, Bandra was washed out without a ball being bowled. At the only venue -- Elf-Vengsarkar Academy, Oval maidan -- where play was possible, Elf Lubricants thwarted Tata Sports Club's hopes of enforcing victory. They batted the 66 overs to end up with a respectable second innings score of 158-5.
After almost three hours were lost due to drizzles in the morning, Elf found themselves in a corner with Test discard Subroto Banerjee (3-33) inflicting some telling blows. Already 120 runs in arrears, Elf were precariously placed at 87-4. However, Ojas Mehta steered the side out of troubled waters with a fine unbeaten knock of 76 (124b, 6x4, 2x6).
The second round commences from October 20.
Brief Scores: Elf Lubricants 112 & 158-5 in 66 overs (Amol Rane 34, Ojas Mehta 76 not out, Mazhar Ghadiyali23; Subroto Banerjee 3-33) drew with Tatas SC 232.
Western Railway 139 & 2-1 drew with Air-India 173
Group B: Bharat Petroleum 144 drew with Indian Oil 103-8.
Points position: Group A -- Tata SC & Air-India 5 points each, Elf Lubricants & W Rly 3 each. Group B: Bharat Petroleum & IOC 3 each.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.