Bengal eked out a crucial first-innings lead on Saturday that put them on top in their Ranji Trophy quarter final versus Odisha at the DRIEMS ground at Tangi in Cuttack.
At stumps on Day III, Bengal were 79/2 after dismissing Odisha for 250. Pacers Ishan Porel, Nilkantha Das and Mukesh Kumar scalped three wickets apiece.
Thereafter, Abhishek Raman (four) and Manoj Tiwary (three), who is back to his original slot of No. 4, were at the crease at stumps with Bengal having stretched their overall lead to 161.
Bengal’s approach so far in their second innings has been a cautious one as they have scored at a run rate of 1.75. Openers Koushik Ghosh (41) and captain Abhimanyu Easwaran (30) were solid in their defence, trying to deny Odisha even a sniff of a comeback.
They put on 60 but once again couldn’t convert their starts, falling in spite of being well set. That said, Bengal, with the batting to come, still have a fair opportunity of shutting the door on Odisha and confirm their way to the semi-finals.
“We have taken the first innings lead, which was very important. What we need now is to just keep batting and extend our lead to as many runs as possible. The pitch has flattened out and spinners may get some turn from the later stages of the fourth day,” Nilkantha told The Telegraph from Cuttack.
J&K hold advantage
Jammu and Kashmir were in a good a position to take the crucial first-innings lead after bowling out Karnataka for 206 on Day III of their Ranji Trophy quarter-final game here.
Resuming 14/2, Karnataka somehow managed to get past the 200-run mark with K Siddharth scoring 76 off 189 balls. It was a disciplined bowling performance from the home team with Nabi and his new ball partner Mujtaba Yousuf taking three wickets each.
In response, the hosts were 88/2 at stumps, needing another 119 runs to take the first innings lead.
In Valsad, medium-pacer Chintan Gaja grabbed a five-wicket haul before Gujarat stretched their overall lead to a mammoth 587 against Goa. On the third day, led by the 25-year-old Gaja (5/19), Gujarat came up with a clinical performance to bowl out Goa for a meagre 173.
However, skipper Parthiv Patel decided not to enforce the follow-on.
Summarised scores
- In Jammu: Karnataka 206 (K. Siddharth 76). J&K 88/2.
- In Ongole: Saurashtra 419 (C. Jani 121) & 93/2. Andhra 136 (J. Unadkat 4/42).
- In Valsad: Goa 602/8 decl. & 158/1. Goa 173 (C. Gaja 5/19).
