PRATHAM Maheshwari wreaked havoc on second morning but Vidarbha failed to take initiative against Chandigarh in the Cooch Behar Trophy match being played at Cricket Stadium, Sector-16 in Chandigarh. After bundling out Chandigarh for 284, Vidarbha were reeling at 201 for nine, still trailing by 83 runs, when the stumps were drawn on the second evening. Resuming at the overnight score of 261 for five, Chandigarh managed to add only 23 runs and were bundled out by Maheshwari for 284 in 100 overs. Overnight batter, Aryan Verma’s (16) furniture was disturbed in the second over of the day by Maheshwari and then Nikhil (32) was beautifully run out by Shree Choudhary in the fourth over. From then on it was Maheshwari show as he wiped out the tail in no time.

 

However, Vidarbha batters, barring Choudhary, failed miserably and four managed to score only in single digit. Opener Aniket Askar got out for a duck and Aditya Ahuja (33) and Tushar Suryavanshi stitched a 54-run second wicket partnership. But Ahuja’s wicket opened the gates and Vidarbha batters could not give company to a brilliant Choudhary who made a fighting unbeaten 83. Choudhary looked helpless as wickets fell around him. Choudhary and Maheshwari added 47 runs for the seventh wicket but the latter’s wicket put Vidarbha under tremendous pressure. At stumps, Arjun Ingle (0) was giving company to Choudhary.