Duleep Tophy: Sanju Samson back with a bang, hits century off 95 balls
Sanju Samson departed after scoring 106 runs off 101 deliveries, smashing 12 fours and three sixes. The wicketkeeper batsman's century has put India D in the driver's seat against India B in the Duleep Trophy third round match.
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FollowSanju Samson scored a blistering 95 ball century for India D against India B in the Duleep Trophy third round fixture at Anantapur on Friday (September 20). The wicketkeeper batsman departed after scoring 106 runs off 101 deliveries, smashing 12 fours and three sixes.
Also read: Duleep Trophy: Sanju Samson stars with blistering half-century
Samson arrived at the crease when India D were at 175/4. The Kerala cricketer stitched together a partnership of 41 runs with Ricky Bhui (56) in the next ten overs or so before the latter was dismissed by Rahul Chahar. After the departure of Bhui, Samson and Saransh Jain took the total to 306, at stumps on Day 1, with the former scoring the bulk of the runs.
Samson, who ended Day 1 with 89 runs to his name from 83 balls, reached century from his next 12 balls. It was the Rajasthan Royals captain's 11th First Class hundred and first in Duleep Trophy.
Samson's blistering knock came to an end in the 83rd over when India D's score was at 331/7. It was a soft dismissal as the right-handed batsman chipped his cover drive straight to Nitish Kumar Reddy off the bowling of Navdeep Saini.
India D started the match brightly as the top three batters scored half-centuries- Devdutt Padikkal (50), Srikar Bharat(52) and Ricky Bhui (56). Njshant Sidhu departed after scoring 19, while captain Shreyas Iyer was dismissed for a five ball duck.
Despite losing Saransh early on Day 2, Samson batted on with Saurabh Kumar joining him at the other end. The Kerala batsman's ton has put India D in the driver's seat against India B.
Samson had scored a swashbuckling 45 ball 40 in the second innings of the second round match of Duleep Trophy last week. The 29-year-old struck three fours and as many maximums while chasing a target of 487 against India A. India D's innings folded for 301.
Also read: India vs Bangladesh, 1st Test: Ashwin wins heart with century in Chennai
