Dinesh Mongia, with a gallant 123, sustained the Chemplast innings on the opening day of their three day KSCA All India invitation tournament final for the Coromandel Cement Trophy against India Pistons at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore on Tuesday. Thanks in the main to Mongia's five hour vigil at the crease, India Pistons, who were put in to bat, scored 267 in 89.3 overs before being all out shortly before close.

Chemplast openers Ganesh Kumar (19) and S Badrinath (18) put on 31 runs off 7.2 overs before the former was caught at second slip by Pankaj Dharmani off Shahbuddin. Badrinath, who hit only one boundary despite facing 65 balls, was caught behind by Reuben Paul off Robin Singh. After Badrinath fell at 74, Mongia who had come in at the fall of Ganesh Kumar's wicket, and Jacob Martin added 61 runs for the third wicket off 23 overs. Martin then gave WD Balaji Rao a return catch. The India batsman faced 59 balls for his 25. Ajay Kudua (9) did not last long, being caught by Paul off medium pacer Gagandpeep Singh.

Skipper Diwakar Vasu and Mongia steadied the innings with a fifth wicket partnership of 57 runs off 19.4 overs. By the time Vasu hit Robin Singh to mid on where Satyajit Medappa completed the catch, he had made 25 off 59 balls.

The tail did not give Mongia the kind of support he would have required but he continued to bat with aplomb. Mongia was fortunate on a couple of occasions. When 17 he was bowled by a no ball from Gagandeep Singh. Then at 37 he was dropped by Vikram Rathour at first slip off Balaji Rao. Undeterred, he reached his century off 199 balls and thereafter kept going even as his partners were falling fast. Subash Raj who came in when Vasu was out was run out for seven. Wicketkeeper TR Arasu was bowled by Balaji Rao for seven. Ramkumar was caught at first slip by Rathour off Balaji first ball. Mongia was finally ninth out at 249 in the 81st over. He tried a big hit off Robin Singh but was held at long off by Satyajit Medappa. For his 123, Mongia faced 221 balls and hit 12 fours and a six. Last man L Balaji was stumped by Paul off Balaji Rao for seven leaving Tinu Yohannan not out with seven. Losing their last six wickets for 54 runs could not have made Chemplast very happy at the end of the day. Indeed, at 213 for four after 68 overs, a total in excess of 300 was on the cards.

Leg spinner Balaji Rao, thanks to his three wickets late in the innings was the most successful bowler with four for 84 off 28.3 overs. But Robin Singh too played his part in removing three of the first six in the batting order for a total of 57 runs off 25 overs. Medium pacers Gagandeep Singh and Shahbuddin took one wicket each.

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