BHUBANESWAR 04-Dec-2010 137
Made to follow on after conceding innings lead of 286 runs, host Orissa did well to hold Punjab to a draw on the last day of their four-day Ranji Trophy Super League match at East Coast Railway Stadium here today. A half-century each by Natraj Behera and Niranjan Behera helped Orissa make 177 for three in the second innings before play was called off around 45 minutes after the tea break on the fourth day.
Despite the draw, Punjab gained three points by virtue of their first innings lead, while Orissa contended themselves with one point. The three points, however, helped Punjab advance from bottom to sixth position in the Gourp-B table with five points in their kitty from as many matches. On the other hand, Orissa were pushed to the bottom of the seven-team group with five points from four matches. Orissa would next meet Himachal Pradesh at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack from December 11 to 14. Himachal also have five points from four outings but are placed fifth in the table having better quotient than Orissa and Punjab.
Resuming their first innings at the overnight score of 216 for seven and needing another 184 runs to avoid follow on, Orissa added 48 runs before folding up for 264. Punjab sealed the home team’s escape route by dismissing last recognised batsman Subhrajit Sahoo (47) and skipper Debasis Mohanty early in the morning. Basant Mohanty and Dhiraj Singh delayed the follow-on for 10 more overs, putting up 44 runs in their last wicket stand.
But the visitors’ attempt to dismiss Orissa for the second time for an outright win was thwarted first by Natraj Behera, who slammed 81 (13x4, 1x6) and then by Niranjan Behera, who remained unbeaten on 50. Punjab wicket-keeper Gitansh Khera achieved a notable personal feat by effecting five dismissals in the first innings and seven in the match.
Earlier electing to bat after winning the toss, Punjab capitalised on a batting-friendly wicket to compile a massive total of 550 for seven before declaring their first innings shortly before the close of second day. Among the leading scorers, Sarul Kanwar, Uday Kaul and captain Pankaj Dharmani registered a century each, while Bipul Sharma hit a half century. Basant Mohanty was the most successful Orissa bowler bagging four wickets for 97.
In reply, the home side folded up for 264. Though seven batsmen got good start, none among them could score a fifty. Manpreet Gony and Sarabjeet Ladda bagged four wickets each for Punjab.
SCOREBOARD
PUNJAB (1st innings): Sarul Kanwar c Samantaray b D Singh 104, R Inder Singh b B Mohanty 34, U Kaul c&b Samantaray 118, Mandeep Singh lbw B Mohanty 43, Pankaj Dharmani (retired hurt) 103, Bipul Sharma c S Sahoo b B Mohanty 62, Karan Goel (not out) 45, Manpreet Gony b D Mohanty 4, Bharat Loomba b B Mohanty 7, G Khera (not out) 14; Extras (b-4, nb-9, w-3) 16.
Total (7 wkts declared, 166 overs) 550
Fall of wickets: 1-126, 2-142, 3-219, 4-421, 5-512, 6-517, 7-524.
Bowling: Debasis Mohanty 31-4-108-1, Basant Mohanty 42-11-97-4, Alok Sahoo 24-3-109-0, Paresh Patel 9-0-34-0, Biplab Samantaray 19-2-78-1, Dhiraj Singh 37-4-94-1, Natraj Behera 4-0-26-0.
ORISSA (1st innings): Natraj Behera c Khera b Ladda 32, Paresh Patel c Khera b Gony 8, Niranjan Behera c Mandeep b Ladda 24, Govinda Poddar b Loomba 23, Subit Biswal c Khera b Gony 11, Biplab Samantaray c Khera b Gony 33, Subhrajit Sahoo c Kaul b Ladda 47, Alok Sahoo c Inder b Ladda 28, Debasis Mohanty c Goel b Gony 0, Basant Mohanty (not out) 28, Dhiraj Singh c Khera b B Sharma 15; Extras (b-2, lb-5, nb-8) 15.
Total (all out, 111.2 overs) 264
Fall of wickets: 1-25, 2-67, 3-70, 4-87, 5-132, 6-165, 7-213, 8-218, 9-220, 10-264
Bowling: M Gony 32-11-83-4, B Loomba 27-11-66-1, B Sharma 14.2-5-23-1, S Kanwar 2-1-6-0, S Ladda 30-6-63-4, K Goel 6-1-16-0.
ORISSA (2nd innings): Paresh Patel b Goel 27, Natraj Behera c Khera b B Sharma 81, Niranjan Behera (not out) 50, Biplab Samantaray st Khera b Goel 4, Govinda Poddar (not out) 13; Extras (b-1, lb-1) 2.
Total (3 wkts, 58 overs) 177
Fall of wickets: 1-77, 2-144, 3-149
Bowling: M Gony 7-2-26-0, B Loomba 13-3-39-0, B Sharma 15-7-35-1, K Goel 9-1-41-2, S Ladda 13-3-35-0, Mandeep Singh 1-1-0-0.
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PHOTO: Players, guests and OCA officials pose before the start of the Ranji Trophy match between Orissa and Punjab in Bhubaneswar on December 1, 2010.
