AA: Mumbai, Nov 6 (ANI): Former Indian skipper Rahul Dravid today made a  strong comeback bid to the national cricket team by hitting a double century for  Karnataka in their Elite Division Group A Ranji Trophy match against Mumbai at  the Wankhede Stadium here.

His innings helped Karnataka to manage a draw and one point against  Mumbai after being bowled out for just 195 runs in the first innings.  

Dravid's 214, which was his 50th first class three-figure score, came in  330 balls in 437 minutes. It included 21 fours and five sixes.

Dravid, who has been dropped for the first two one-day international  matches against Pakistan, said after the match that regular fall of wickets  didn't allow them to attack.  

"We kept losing regular wickets, lot of players in our team are quite  young as well and it would have been a good education for them to play a quality  attack," he said.  

"It is satisfying to have played a innings that helped the team. It would  have been better had I played a big knock in the first innings. To be honest 195  was never going to be enough, we needed at least 300 but credit to them. Ajit  got couple of wickets early and Ramesh bowled very well," said the 34-year-old  Karnataka player.  

His today's innings is likely to get the attention of the national  selectors who are due to meet on Thursday at Mohali to pick the team for the  rest of three matches against visiting Pakistani team. (ANI)

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Bangalore, Sept 28 (ANI): An exclusive cricket bat autographed by Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting was auctioned at a function here on Thursday.The bat fetched whooping rupees 90,000 (2,267 dollars), and the auction money will be used for charity purpose.Jayaram Reddy, who bought the bat, felt elated that he had met his favourite cricketer. "It's a great initiative, something which I am going to work up in Australia as well," said Ponting.Australian team is on a tour of India for the seven-match One-Day series starting from September 29.The two sides would also be playing a Twenty20 match at the end of the one-day series. (ANI)

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