Out of favour India batter Cheteshwar Pujara's appetite for runs seems to be growing with every passing day and the veteran batter is not showing any signs of slowing down. The 35-year-old batter struck a scintillating ton in the ongoing One Day Cup in England on Friday, while playing for Sussex in a game against Somerset at The Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton.
Somerset skipper Sean Dickson was lucky with the toss and elected to bat first on a wicket that showed no signs of slowing down from ball one. Riding on the centuries of Andrew Umeed and Curtis Campher Somerset scored 318 for the loss of six wickets in their allotted 50 overs. Umeed played a wonderful knock of 119 off 130 balls, including ten fours and three sixes and got phenomenal support from Campher who was batting at the other end as the latter amassed 101 off 82 deliveries with the help of nine fours and three maximums at an impressive strike rate of 123.17.
Some meaty blows came from the willows of the skipper himself who scored a quickfire 40 off just 23 balls and Joshua Thomas (21* off 10 balls) gave the much-needed push to Somerset's innings at the death.
In pursuit of the total, Sussex were in trouble early, having been reduced to 47 for the loss of two wickets inside seven overs. They needed someone to anchor their innings and propel them to victory and the same was performed by Pujara, who walked into bat at number four.
Pujara anchored the innings to near perfection and struck a magnificent and match-winning century scoring an unbeaten 117 off 113 balls at a strike rate of 103.53 guided by 11 fours. He was ably supported by Tom Alsop who scored 60 off 58 balls and allowed Pujara to get his eye in initially and then go after the Somerset attack. Sussex's wicketkeeper-batter Oli Carter also played a handy knock down the order and score 44 off 34 studded with four boundaries and two sixes.
The finishing touch to the run chase was provided by allrounder Jack Carson who tonked two sixes in his cameo and helped Sussex get over the line with 11 balls to spare.
