crickick.com brings to its viewers a special interesting snippets of NKP Salve Challenger Trophy matches of the previous fourteen editions. Read on ……..
The first ever Challenger series was played in 1994-95 season. The participating teams were India, India A and India B. The games were played at Calcutta and India won the final by 73 runs. The finalists were India and India A. The final was played on 31.03.05
The ensuing edition of 2009-10 which is scheduled to be played at Nagpur is the 15th edition of the Challenger Series.
The following table lists out the finalists of the previous fourteen editions of Challenger series.
| No |
Season |
Team |
Vs |
Opp |
Venue |
Date |
| 1 |
94-95 |
Ind |
Vs |
IndA |
Calcutta |
31.03.95 |
|
|
Ind |
Won |
By |
073 |
Runs |
| 2 |
95-96 |
Ind |
Vs |
IndA |
Hyderabad |
31.12.95 |
|
|
Ind |
Won |
By |
033 |
Runs |
| 3 |
96-97 |
Ind B |
Vs |
Ind |
Mohali |
01.10.96 |
|
|
Ind |
Won |
By |
007 |
wkts |
| 4 |
97-98 |
Ind |
Vs |
IndB |
Mumbai |
13.10.97 |
|
|
Ind |
Won |
By |
031 |
Runs |
| 5 |
98-99 |
Ind A |
Vs |
IndB |
Ahmedabad |
18.10.98 |
|
|
NR |
Match |
Abd |
|
|
| 6 |
99-00 |
Ind |
Vs |
IndA |
Ahmedabad |
13.03.00 |
|
|
Ind |
Won |
By |
084 |
Runs |
| 7 |
00-01 |
Ind A |
Vs |
Ind |
Chennai |
15.02.01 |
|
|
Ind |
Won |
By |
004 |
Wkts |
| 8 |
01-02 |
Ind |
Vs |
IndA |
Bangalore |
13.01.02 |
|
|
Ind A |
Won |
By |
008 |
Wkts |
| 9 |
2003 |
Ind A |
Vs |
IndB |
Bangalore |
14.09.03 |
|
|
Ind A |
Won |
By |
099 |
Runs |
| 10 |
04-05 |
Ind |
Vs |
IndB |
Mumbai |
10.02.05 |
|
|
Ind A |
Won |
By |
006 |
Wkts |
| 11 |
05-06 |
Ind B |
Vs |
Ind |
Mohali |
13.10.05 |
|
|
Ind |
Won |
By |
003 |
Wkts |
| 12 |
06-07 |
Blue |
Vs |
Red |
Chennai |
04.10.06 |
|
|
NR |
Match |
Abd |
|
|
| 13 |
07-08 |
Blue |
Vs |
Red |
Ahmedabad |
28.10.07 |
|
|
Blue |
Won |
By |
006 |
Wkts |
| 14 |
08-09 |
Blue |
Vs |
Red |
Cuttack |
26.10.08 |
|
|
Blue |
Won |
By |
008 |
Wkts |
Two finals were abandoned {1998-99 and 2006-07}, India has won on seven occasions, India A on three occasions and India Blue on two occasions.
The teams India, India A and India B were renamed as India Blue, India Red and India Green from the 2006-07 season.
The tournament has witnessed 25 centuries so far, with SC Ganguly’s 142 {Ind vs Ind B at Chennai on 13.02.01} as the highest individual score. The credit of registering the the first hundred fell on SV Manjrekar who scored 117 in the match between Ind A vs Ind B at Calcutta on 20.03.95. He was leading Ind A in this game.
The final of the tournament has witnessed five hundreds which are tabulated below. VVS Laxman and SS Das as opening batsmen registered hundreds in the finals of 1999-00 season at Ahmedabad on 13.03.00, which is a unique feat in the tournament finals. Dinesh Karthik’s 116 not out remains the highest individual score by batsman in the tournament finals.
| No |
Batsmen |
Runs |
Team |
Opp |
Venue |
Date |
| 1 |
Tendulakr |
113 |
Ind |
Ind B |
Mohali |
01.10.96 |
| 2 |
Das |
114 |
Ind |
Ind A |
Ahmedabad |
13.03.00 |
| 3 |
Laxman |
105 |
Ind |
Ind A |
Ahmedabad |
13.03.00 |
| 4 |
Badani |
104* |
Ind |
Ind A |
Chennai |
15.02.01 |
| 5 |
Kartnik |
116* |
Blue |
Red |
Ahmedabad |
28.10.07 |
The tournament has witnessed five occasions of captains registering hundreds which are listed below. R Dravid remains the only captain to register two hundreds in the tournament – scored 107 while leading Ind B vs Ind at Bangalore on 11.09.03 and made 115 while leading Ind A vs Ind B at Mumbai on 09.02.05
| No |
Batsmen |
Runs |
Team |
Opp |
Venue |
Date |
| 1 |
Manjrekar |
117 |
Ind A |
Ind B |
Calcutta |
20.03.95 |
| 2 |
Ganguly |
142 |
Ind |
Ind B |
Chennai |
13.02.01 |
| 3 |
Dravid |
107 |
Ind B |
Ind |
Bangalore |
11.09.03 |
| 4 |
Dravid |
115 |
Ind A |
Ind B |
Mumbai |
09.02.05 |
| 5 |
Laxman |
110 |
Ind A |
Ind B |
Mohali |
12.10.05 |
As many as thirteen hundreds have been registered by opening batsmen in the tournament. S Ganguly’s 142 remain the highest individual score by an opening batsman {for Ind vs Ind B at Chennai on 13.02.01}.
SR Tendulkar has the distinction of registering most hundreds as opening batsman in the tournament. He has scored three hundreds which are tabulated below
| No |
Batsman |
Runs |
Team |
Opp |
Venue |
Date |
| 1 |
Tendulakr |
113 |
Ind |
Ind B |
Mohali |
01.10.96 |
| 2 |
Tendulkar |
139 |
Blue |
Green |
Chennai |
02.10.06 |
| 3 |
Tendulkar |
104* |
Ind |
Ind B |
Mohali |
29.09.96 |
Dinesh Mongia and SR Tendulkar have registered three hundreds in the tournament and share the record for most hundreds. Their feats are tabulated below
| No |
Batsmen |
Runs |
Team |
Opp |
Venue |
Date |
| 1 |
Mongia |
131 |
Ind B |
Ind |
Bangalore |
11.01.02 |
| 2 |
Mongia |
102 |
Ind B |
Ind |
Chennai |
13.02.01 |
| 3 |
Moniga |
121 |
Ind B |
Ind A |
Bangalore |
13.09.03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
Tendulakr |
113 |
Ind |
Ind B |
Mohali |
01.10.96 |
| 2 |
Tendulkar |
139 |
Blue |
Green |
Chennai |
02.10.06 |
| 3 |
Tendulkar |
104* |
Ind |
Ind B |
Mohali |
29.09.96 |
MS Dhoni {102 not out for India vs India B at Mumbai on 08.02.05} and KRD Karthik {116 not out for India Blue vs India Red at Ahmedabad on 28.10.07} remain the two wicket keeper batsmen to register hundreds in the tournament. The latter’s 116 not out remains the highest individual score by a wicket keeper batsman in the tournament
As many as 14 individual nineties have been witnessed in the tournament so far. Yuvraj Singh is the only batsman to register “Ninety Nine Not out” in the tournament {for Ind vs Ind B at Mohali on 11.10.05.
Mohd Kaif, RV Uthappa, SK Raina, V Sehwag are the four batsman in the tournament to register nineties on two occasions.
| No |
Batsman |
Runs |
Team |
Opp |
Venue |
Date |
| 1 |
Kaif |
93 |
Ind B |
Ind A |
Ahmedabad |
12.02.00 |
| 2 |
Kaif |
90 |
Ind B |
Ind |
Ahmedabad |
11.02.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
Uthappa |
92 |
Red |
Green |
Chennai |
03.10.06 |
| 2 |
Uthappa |
94 |
Blue |
Red |
Cuttack |
23.10.08 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
Raina |
97 |
Ind A |
Ind B |
Mohali |
12.10.05 |
| 2 |
Raina |
92 |
Blue |
Red |
Ahmedabad |
25.10.07 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
Sehwag |
94 |
Ind |
Ind A |
Chennai |
15.02.01 |
| 2 |
Sehwag |
90 |
Blue |
Red |
Chennai |
03.10.06 |
WV Raman with his 96 for Ind B vs Ind at Mohali on 01.10.96 remains the only captain to register a ninety in the tournament. NV Ojha with his 96 for India Green vs India Red at Cuttack on 24.10.08 remains the only wicket keeper batsman to register a ninety in the tournament.
As many as 162 fifties have been registered in the tournament. India and India Red batsmen have registered 65 fifties, India A and India Blue batsmen have registered 60 fifties and India B and India Green batsmen have registered 38 fifties.
The tournament has witnessed as many as 30 fifties by captains. S Ganguly’s 142 remain the highest individual score by a captain {for Ind vs Ind B at Chennai on 13.02.01}. R Dravid has registered most fifties as captain. He has registered eight fifties which are tabulated below
| No |
Captain |
Runs |
Team |
Opp |
Venue |
Date |
| 1 |
R Dravid |
115 |
Ind A |
Ind B |
Mumbai |
09.02.05 |
| 2 |
R Dravid |
107 |
Ind B |
Ind |
Bangalore |
11.09.03 |
| 3 |
R Dravid |
88 |
Ind A |
Ind |
Chennai |
15.02.01 |
| 4 |
R Dravid |
82 |
Ind A |
Ind B |
Chennai |
14.02.01 |
| 5 |
R Dravid |
72 |
Ind A |
Ind |
Mumbai |
10.02.05 |
| 6 |
R Dravid |
62 |
Ind |
Ind A |
Ahmedabad |
10.02.00 |
| 7 |
R Dravid |
62 |
Blue |
Green |
Chennai |
02.10.06 |
| 8 |
R Dravid |
53 |
Ind |
Ind B |
Ahmedabad |
11.02.00 |
The tournament has witnessed eleven fifties by wicket keeper batsmen which are tabulated below
| No |
Batsmen |
Runs |
Team |
Opp |
Venue |
Date |
| 1 |
Karthik |
116* |
Blue |
Red |
Ahmedbad |
28.10.07 |
| 2 |
Dhoni |
102* |
Ind |
Ind B |
Mumbai |
08.02.05 |
| 3 |
Ojha |
96 |
Green |
Red |
Cuttack |
24.10.08 |
| 4 |
Karthik |
85 |
Red |
Green |
Chennai |
03.10.06 |
| 5 |
Dhoni |
79 |
Blue |
Green |
Chennai |
02.10.06 |
| 6 |
Patel |
69 |
Green |
Red |
Chennai |
03.10.06 |
| 7 |
Karthik |
65 |
Blue |
Green |
Ahmedbad |
27.10.08 |
| 8 |
Prasad |
59 |
Ind B |
Ind |
Mumbai |
10.10.97 |
| 9 |
Patel |
53 |
Ind B |
Ind |
Mohali |
11.10.05 |
| 10 |
Patel |
53 |
Blue |
Green |
Ahmedbad |
27.10.08 |
| 11 |
Dighe |
50 |
Ind B |
Ind |
Hyderabad |
29.12.95 |
Dinesh Karthik and Parthiv Patel are the two wicket keeper batsmen to register fifties on three occasions and share the record for most fifties by a wicket keeper batsman in the tournament. Their feats are tabulated below
| No |
Batsmen |
Runs |
Team |
Opp |
Venue |
Date |
| 1 |
Karthik |
116* |
Blue |
Red |
Ahmedbad |
28.10.07 |
| 2 |
Karthik |
85 |
Red |
Green |
Chennai |
03.10.06 |
| 3 |
Karthik |
65 |
Blue |
Green |
Ahmedbad |
27.10.08 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
Patel |
69 |
Green |
Red |
Chennai |
03.10.06 |
| 2 |
Patel |
53 |
Ind B |
Ind |
Mohali |
11.10.05 |
| 3 |
Patel |
53 |
Blue |
Green |
Ahmedbad |
27.10.08 |
Ahmedabad edition {1999-00} and Chennai edition {2000-01} have witnessed most fifties – 18 fifties – by batsmen in the tournament
2004-05 {Mumbai} and 2005-06 {Mohali} editions are played in the same calendar year 2005. Mumbai edition was played during the period 07.02.05 and 10.02.05 while the Mohali edition was played during the period 10.10.05 and 13.10.05
The tournament has witnessed as many as fifty fifties by opening batsmen. SR Tendulkar has registered most fifties as an opening batsman. His ten fifties are listed below
| No |
Batsman |
Runs |
Team |
Opp |
Venue |
Date |
| 1 |
Tendulkar |
139 |
Blue |
Green |
Chennai |
02.10.06 |
| 2 |
Tendulkar |
113 |
Ind |
Ind B |
Mohali |
01.10.96 |
| 3 |
Tendulkar |
104* |
Ind |
Ind B |
Mohali |
29.09.96 |
| 4 |
Tendulkar |
88 |
Ind A |
Ind B |
Bangalore |
14.09.03 |
| 5 |
Tendulkar |
84 |
Ind |
Ind B |
Calcutta |
19.03.95 |
| 6 |
Tendulkar |
77 |
Ind B |
Ind |
Chennai |
13.02.01 |
| 7 |
Tendulkar |
68 |
Ind |
Ind |
Calcutta |
18.03.95 |
| 8 |
Tendulkar |
61 |
Blue |
Red |
Chennai |
01.10.06 |
| 9 |
Tendulkar |
54 |
Ind |
Ind A |
Calcutta |
21.03.95 |
| 10 |
Tendulkar |
52 |
Ind A |
Ind |
Hyderabad |
28.12.95 |
R Dravid has scored most fifties in the tournament. His twelve fifties are tabulated below.
| No |
Batsman |
Runs
|
Team |
Opp |
Venue |
Date |
| 1 |
Dravid |
50 |
Ind A |
Ind |
Calcutta |
18.03.95 |
| 2 |
Dravid |
78* |
Ind A |
Ind B |
Hyderabad |
30.12.95 |
| 3 |
Dravid |
56 |
Ind A |
Ind |
Hyderabad |
31.12.95 |
| 4 |
Dravid |
69 |
Ind |
Ind B |
Mohali |
01.10.96 |
| 5 |
Dravid |
62 |
Ind |
Ind A |
Ahmedabad |
10.02.00 |
| 6 |
Dravid |
53 |
Ind |
Ind B |
Ahmedabad |
11.02.00 |
| 7 |
Dravid |
82 |
Ind A |
Ind B |
Chennai |
14.02.01 |
| 8 |
Dravid |
88 |
Ind A |
Ind |
Chennai |
15.02.01 |
| 9 |
Dravid |
107 |
Ind B |
Ind |
Bangalore |
11.09.03 |
| 10 |
Dravid |
115 |
Ind A |
Ind B |
Mumbai |
09.02.05 |
| 11 |
Dravid |
72 |
Ind A |
Ind |
Mumbai |
10.02.05 |
| 12 |
Dravid |
62 |
Blue |
Green |
Chennai |
02.10.06 |
Both the openers have registered hundreds in the tournament on two occasions which are listed below
| No |
Batsmen |
Runs |
Team |
Opp |
Venue |
Date |
| 1 |
Das |
114 |
Ind |
Ind A |
Ahmedabad |
13.02.00 |
| 1 |
Laxman |
105 |
Ind |
Ind A |
Ahmedabad |
13.02.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2 |
Dhawan |
126 |
Ind |
Ind B |
Mumbai |
08.02.05 |
| 2 |
Dhoni |
102* |
Ind |
Ind B |
Mumbai |
08.02.05 |
Four fifties in an innings has been witnessed in the tournament on two occasions and on both the occasions it was the India Blue batsmen.
| No |
Batsmen |
Runs |
Team |
Opp |
Venue |
Date |
| 1 |
Tendulkar |
139 |
Blue |
Green |
Chennai |
02.10.06 |
| 2 |
IK Pathan |
54 |
Blue |
Green |
Chennai |
02.10.06 |
| 3 |
Dravid |
62 |
Blue |
Green |
Chennai |
02.10.06 |
| 4 |
Dhoni |
79 |
Blue |
Green |
Chennai |
02.10.06 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
Sehwag |
75 |
Blue |
Green |
Ahmedabad |
27.10.07 |
| 2 |
A Yadav |
65 |
Blue |
Green |
Ahmedabad |
27.10.07 |
| 3 |
Raina |
64 |
Blue |
Green |
Ahmedabad |
27.10.07 |
| 4 |
Karthik |
65 |
Blue |
Green |
Ahmedabad |
27.10.07 |
As many as 18 occasions of bowlers capturing four or more wickets have been witnessed in the tournament. Venkatapathy Raju’s 6 for 39 for India A vs India at Hyderabad on 28.12.95 remains the best bowling figures in the tournament. Venktapathy Raju is the only bowler in the tournament to capture six wickets.
Dinesh Mongia, Laxmipathy Balaji and Praveen Kumar are the three bowlers who have captured four or more wickets on two occasions in the tournament. The performances of these three bowlers are listed below
| No |
Bowler |
W |
R |
Team |
Opp |
Venue |
Date |
| 1 |
Mongia |
4 |
31 |
Ind B |
Ind A |
Bangalore |
13.09.03 |
| 2 |
Mongia |
4 |
48 |
Ind A |
Ind |
Mumbai |
07.02.05 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
Balaji |
4 |
50 |
Ind |
Ind A |
Bangalore |
10.09.03 |
| 2 |
Balaji |
4 |
66 |
Ind |
Ind B |
Mumbai |
08.02.05 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
PKumar |
4 |
42 |
Blue |
Red |
Ahmedabad |
25.10.07 |
| 2 |
PKumar |
5 |
45 |
Blue |
Green |
Ahmedabad |
26.10.07 |
BK Venkatesh Prasad and Zaheer Khan are the two bowlers who have gone wicket less conceding seventy plus runs in the tournament
| No |
Bowlers |
W |
R |
Team |
Opp |
Venue |
Date |
| 1 |
BKV Prasad |
0 |
78 |
Ind A |
Ind |
Chennai |
15.02.01 |
| 2 |
Z Khan |
0 |
70 |
Ind |
Ind A |
Bangalore |
10.09.03 |
There are nine occasions of a bowler conceding seventy plus runs in the tournament. SC Ganguly and Munaf Patel share the record for conceding most runs -81 runs – in the tournament.
| No |
Bowlers |
W |
R |
Team |
Opp |
Venue |
Date |
| 1 |
Ganguly |
2 |
81 |
Ind |
Ind B |
Chennai |
13.02.01 |
| 2 |
M Patel |
1 |
81 |
Green |
Red |
Ahmedabad |
26.10.07 |
| 3 |
BKVPrasad |
0 |
78 |
Ind A |
Ind |
Chennai |
15.02.01 |
| 4 |
P Kumar |
1 |
77 |
Green |
Blue |
Chennai |
02.10.06 |
| 5 |
Balaji |
2 |
76 |
Ind |
Ind B |
Bangalore |
11.09.03 |
| 6 |
Balaji |
2 |
76 |
Ind A |
Ind |
Mohali |
10.10.05 |
| 7 |
Nehra |
2 |
75 |
Ind |
Ind B |
Chennai |
13.02.01 |
| 8 |
Kumble |
2 |
73 |
Ind A |
Ind B |
Bangalore |
13.09.03 |
| 9 |
Z Khan |
0 |
70 |
Ind |
Ind A |
Bangalore |
10.09.03 |
Laxmipathy Balaji remains the only bowler in the tournament to conceded seventy plus runs on two occasions.
| No |
Bowlers |
W |
R |
Team |
Opp |
Venue |
Date |
| 1 |
Balaji |
2 |
76 |
Ind |
Ind B |
Bangalore |
11.09.03 |
| 2 |
Balaji |
2 |
76 |
Ind A |
Ind |
Mohali |
10.10.05 |
The tournament has witnessed three occasions of team totals of 350 plus runs which are furnished in the following table. India’s 392 for 6 against India B at Chenai on 13.02.01 remains the highest team total registered by a team in the tournament. It is interesting to note that all the three team totals of 350 plus runs have been registered at Chennai.
| No |
Score |
Overs |
Team |
Opp |
Venue |
Date |
| 1 |
392-06 |
50.0 |
Ind |
Ind B |
Chennai |
13.02.01 |
| 2 |
381-06 |
50.0 |
Blue |
Green |
Chennai |
02.10.06 |
| 3 |
362-10 |
46.4 |
Ind B |
Ind |
Chennai |
13.02.01 |
On 31 occasions the teams have been all out in the tournament. The lowest completed innings total in the tournament is 110 – registered by India B against India A at Hyderabad on 30.12.95.
There are three occasions when both the teams have been all out in the tournament. The three occasions are listed below
| No |
Score |
Overs |
Team |
Opp |
Venue |
Date |
| 1 |
279 |
50.0 |
Ind |
Ind A |
Ahmedabad |
10.02.00 |
| 1 |
227 |
47.3 |
Ind A |
Ind |
Ahmedabad |
10.02.00 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2 |
280 |
50.0 |
Red |
Blue |
Chennai |
01.10.06 |
| 2 |
259 |
47.3 |
Blue |
Red |
Chennai |
01.10.06 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 3 |
218 |
44.2 |
Blue |
Green |
Cuttack |
25.10.08 |
| 3 |
199 |
44.0 |
Red |
Blue |
Cuttack |
25.10.08 |
The narrowest margin of victory by runs margin in the tournament was achieved by India A against India at Ahmedabad on 15.10.98. India A had won this game by one run. The narrowest margin of victory by wickets margin in the tournament was achieved by India A against India at Mohali on 10.10.05. India A had won this game by one wicket.
The largest margin of victory by runs margin in the tournament was achieved by India Blue against India Green at Chennai on 02.10.06. India Blue had won this game by 266 runs. The largest margin of victory by wickets margin in the tournament – Victory without losing a wicket – was achieved by India against India B at Mohali on 29.10.96. India had won this game by ten wickets.
As many as 37 three figure partnerships have been posted by batsmen of various teams in the tournament. The fourth wicket partnership of 206 runs between Yuvraj Singh and Y Venugopala Rao for India vs India B at Mohali on 11.10.05 remains the highest partnership registered in the tournament. It is in this game Yuvraj Singh {99*} and Y Venugopala Rao {98} registered nineties which remains the only occasion of two batsmen registering nineties in the tournament.
The break up of 37 partnerships wicketwise read thus – First wicket {08}, Second wicket {05}, Third wicket {09}, Fourth wicket {08}, Fifth wicket {05}, Sixth wicket {01} and Seventh wicket {01}.
The break up of 37 partnerships teamwise read thus – India and India Blue batsmen {14}, India A and India Red batsmen {11} and India B and India Green {12}.
The highest partnership for each team read thus :
India and India Blue batsmen – 209 runs unfinished partnership for the fourth wicket between Yuvraj Singh and Y Venuopala Rao against India B and India Green at Mohali on 11.10.05
Ind A and India Red batsmen – 187 runs partnership for the third wicket between VVS Laxman and SK Raina against India B and India Greeen at Mohali on 12.10.05 :
India B and India Green batsmen – 187 runs partnership for the first wicket between SS Dhawan and MS Dhoni against India A and India Red at Mumbai on 09.02.05
Dinesh Mogia’s 121 and four for 31 for India B against India A at Bangalore on 13.09.03 remains the only all round performance of a hundred coupled with four wickets in the entire tournament.