THIS was only for the second time that Vidarbha batting failed in the tournament. But coming cropper in this crucial game might throw the defending champions out of the Col CK Nayudu Trophy reckoning.

In reply to Madhya Pradesh’s first innings score of 282, Vidarbha batting flopped miserably and the team was all out for a poor 116 in 46.2 overs in their semi-final at Alembic 2 Cricket Ground in Vadodara on Tuesday.

By end of second day’s play, MP were 70-3 stretching the lead to 236 runs with seven second innings wickets in hand.

Vidarbha bowlers did a fairly good job to limit MP in the first innings. From overnight 241-7, the team added 41 more runs. Seamer Shanmesh Deshmukh and spinner Parth Rekhade picked three wickets each.

In-form Aman Mokhade (16), fellow opener Nayan Chavan (16) and number Yash Rathod (45), who has been batting extremely well, gave a decent start to Vidarbha. But after them only Harsh Dubey (19) could get into double digits and as many as four batters could not open the account with the team conceding 166 runs lead.

With opener Harsh Gawali (35*) doing well, MP made 70 losing three wickets in 29 overs.

Though cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties, it will be a Herculean task for the holders to make a comeback in the match.