Gurbani takes fifer but Vidarbha in trouble

 

 

PACER Rajneesh Gurbani took a five-wicket haul but Vidarbha failed to take advantage of his heroics and were in trouble on the second day of their Ranji Trophy match against Assam at Lahli in Haryana.

After bundling out Assam at 316 on the second morning, Vidarbha were in dire straits despite captain Faiz Fazal’s fine 86, losing nine wickets for 265 runs. They still trail by 51 runs and with two tailenders at the crease, chances of taking first innings lead look impossible. Vidarbha need an outright win to stay in contention for a knock-out berth.

Gurbani bowled superbly in the morning and reached his personal milestone of taking 100 First-Class wickets.

Resuming at 289-6, Assam managed to add only 27 runs as Gurbani struck thrice to complete his seventh five-wicket haul. But Vidarbha lost the plot as a sudden middle and lower order collapse pushed them against the wall.

Skipper Fazal and his opening partner R Sanjay started well and added 55 runs for the opening wicket. However, Sanjay was sent back by Hridip Deka in the 15th over after he edged one back to keeper captain Kunal Saikia.

Fazal and Atharva Taide then added 89 runs for the third wicket but latter’s fall in the 41st over opened the gates.

Akshay Wadkar (23) and Fazal put up 33 runs for the fourth wicket but Riyan Parag broke the partnership trapping Vidarbha captain in front in the 55th over.

In his 162-ball stay in the middle, Fazal had collected nine boundaries.

Vidarbha bowlers failed to negotiate Parag’s spin bowling as the bowler took a fifer to put Assam in control.

Taide became Parag’s first victim as he holed out an easy catch to Gokul Sharma.

Last match’s centurion Ganesh Satish (3) too could not replecate his performance as he became the second victim of Parag also caught by Sharma.