Saurashtra bowlers demolish Chandigarh batters

Thumping after defeating Delhi by nine wickets, Chandigarh lads found themselves on the back foot against Saurashtra, as they trail by 98 runs while forced to follow-on with a loss of seven wickets, during the ongoing Ranji Trophy, at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 26.

In reply to Saurashtra’s first innings 531, the local lads bundled out at 249. The visitors put the hosts to follow-on, and the batters once again failed to defend their wickets and were down to 184/7, at the drawn of the stumps.

Resuming their first innings from overnight 78/5, the openers Ayush Sikka and Raj Angad Bawa raised a 35-run stand. However, Sikka (14 off 30 balls, with three boundaries) was trapped in front of wicket by Jaydev Unadkat. Thereafter, DA Jadeja accounted Mayank Sidhu (18 of 34 balls, with three boundaries) to reduce the hosts to 158/7. Jagjit Singh Sandhu went back to the pavilion without making any contribution to the total. However, Bawa and Vishu saved the hosts from getting under 200-mark by raising a 67-run partnership.

Bawa scored 92 off 83 balls, studded with nine boundaries and five sixes, before getting trapped by Unadkat. Rohit Dhanda (11) was the last man to out, while Vishu remained unbeaten at 32 off 66 balls, with four boundaries and one six, as the hosts collapsed at 249.

Unadkat (3/50) and Jadeja (3/67) were the leading wicket takers for the bowling side, while Yuvrajsinh Dodiya claimed two, and Hiten Kanbi and AV Vasavada picked one each. While follow-on, the hosts were once again trailed badly. While half of the side was back to the pavilion at 70, Ankit Kaushik (64 off 100 balls, with seven boudfanries and two sixes) and Sandhu (50 off 20 balls, with five boundaries and four sixes) helped the host to close the day at 184/7.

Dodiya (3/87), Unadkat (2/23), Prerrak Mankad (1/12) and Jadeja (1/25) were the main wicket takers for the bowling side.

Punjab log win

Meanwhile, playing at their home turf IS Bindra PCA Stadium in Mohali, Punjab recorded an innings and 67-run lead over Bihar in three days. In their reply to Bihar’s first innings total of 135, Punjab posted 300 with the help of Jaskaranvir Singh Paul (65), Salil Arora (64), Sanvir Singh (47), Gurnoor Brar (34),Pukhraj Mann (33) and Anmolpreet Singh (30). In their second innings, Bihar batters were packed at 98 as Brar claimed 5/14 and Baltej Singh picked 4/44. Sukhdeep Bajwa also claimed one wicket.