ODISHA did a fine job to bowl out defending champions Vidarbha for under 300 but the latter bounced back with quick wickets to edge ahead in their Elite Group A Ranji Trophy match in progress at VCA’s Jamtha Stadium on Sunday. In response to Vidarbha’s first innings score of 286, the visitors were reeling at 122-6, still trailing by 164 runs, when stumps were drawn for the day. Odisha openers Gourav Choudhury (24; 46b, 3x4, 1x6) and Swastik Samal (9; 39b, 1x4) started off well with the former hitting one six and four in left-arm spinner Parth Rekhade’s one over. An error in judgement cost Choudhury his wicket. The batter shouldered arm to a seamer Nachiket Bhute delivery only to see it cut back and disturb his woodwork. At the same score of 33, Rekhade struck from the other end in the next over. It was a classical left-armer’s dismissal.

 

 

The ball pitched between middle and leg stump and turned sharply to rattle the off stick. Sandeep Pattnaik (16; 40b, 1x4) and skipper Subhranshu Senapati (41; 112b, 3x4) added a further 31 runs to take the score to 64 when Pattnaik edged seamer Praful Hinge and skipper-stumper Akshay Wadkar completed the action. Odisha took tea at 85-3. Immediately after resumption, Odisha wicketkeeper Rajesh Dhuper was dropped by Aman Mokhade at forward short-leg off debutant offie Yash Kadam. The batter failed to take any advantage and was trapped lbw the very next ball for the bowler’s maiden First-Class wicket. Senapati and veteran Govinda Poddar (17; 66b, 1x4) took the team’s score past the three-figure mark before another debutant Gaurav Farde took his first First-Class wicket. It was a harmless ball pitched outside off and going further away but the batter chopped it onto his stumps going for a cut. Poddar was another batsman who could not make a ‘life’ count.

 

Dropped by Atharva Taide at second slip off Bhute, the batsman edged Farde to give his second wicket. With just four balls remaining for the day, umpire dislodged the bails signalling end of day’s play. Earlier in the day, Vidarbha opener Dhruv Shorey (144; 298b, 11x4, 1x6) started from where he had left the previous day. With the second ball still new, the batter started off with two super cover drives collecting seven in first over of the day bowled by Rajesh Mohanty. But soon Odisha bowlers slowed things down and the team could score 22 runs from the first 13 overs at end of the first hour. With a restless Wadkar (21; 79b, 2x4) at the crease, the batters ran some quick singles. Shorey’s 298 balls and 426 minutes vigil at the crease ended with a soft dismissal. Just at the stroke of first drinks break, left-arm spinner Badal Biswal was introduced from the far end.

 

He made one to turn and bounce that took the set batter by surprise. The ball took shoulder of the bat to balloon up for Swastik Samal at short gully. Vidarbha lost their sixth wicket at 262. Wadkar, who walks down the pitch on regular basis, was tested by short balls and a couple of fuller ones hit his pads. Ten runs later, Wadkar was trapped in front of the stumps by Sambit Baral who triggered a collapse. He cleaned up Kadam and Farde in successive overs and Biswal had Praful Hinge stumped as Vidarbha innings came to an end. With Odisha tail exposed, Vidarbha bowlers will come up with their tails up on the third morning and would look to bundling them out quickly and then put some good score on the board to force a result in their favour.