CUTTACK 11-Oct-2015
Maharashtra gained three points by virtue of taking a slender 14-run first-innings lead against host Odisha in their second round Group A Ranji match that ended in a predictable draw here at Barabati Stadium today. Odisha settled with one point.
The match will be remembered for a century each by Odisha vice-captain Govinda Poddar and Maharashtra international Kedar Jadhav and a six-wicket haul in the first innings by Maharashtra allrounder Shrikant Shindhe, who was adjudged the man of the match.
Put into bat, Maharashtra were in a spot of bother, losing three wickets for 62 runs. But a half-century each by Harshad Khadiwale and Ankit Bawne helped them overcome the crisis and go on to make a modest total of 281. Among Odisha bowlers, pacer Suryakant Pradhan was most successful with a haul of four for 90, while Biplab Samantaray and Basant Mohanty picked up three and two wickets apiece.
Odisha also suffered a top-order batting failure as they were reduced to 68 for four. The home team, of course, recovered well thanks to the second first-class century by Poddar, maiden fifty by Pratik Das and their fifth-wicket stand worth 145 runs. But the fine batting performance by the duo proved in vain as Odisha conceded the lead, losing their last five wickets for 29 runs and getting all out for 267.
Maharashtra declared their second innings at 289 for four, setting Odisha a daunting target of 294 for victory. Jadhav remained unbeaten on 100 (133b, 15x4), which was his 12th first-class ton. His 113-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Ankit Bawne wiped out even the faintest hope of Odisha making come back and change the eventual outcome of the match.
On the other hand, chances of a defeat loomed large over Odisha as they were reduced to 26 for two in the second essay. However, such a threat was avarted thanks to some stubborn batting by Girija Rout, Anurag Sarangi and Pratik Das. They were 129 for five in their second innings when both the captains agreed for the draw.
SCOREBOARD
MAHARASHTRA (1st innings): S Gugale c Dhuper b Pradhan 2, H Khadiwale c D Behera b Samantaray 74, R Motwani lbw Samantaray 22, K Jadhav lbw Samantaray 2, A Bawane b Pradhan 60, R Tripathi bw Mohanty 41, C Khurana lbw Pradhan 18, S Mundhe c Sarangi b Mohanty 0, A Sanklecha (not out) 12, N Dhumal b Pradhan 16, S Fallah c Sub (Amit Das) b J Behera 19; Extras (b 1, lb 10, nb 4) 15
Total (All out; 101.2 overs) 281
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-49, 3-62, 4-153, 5-187, 6-231, 7-231, 8-231, 9-255, 10-281
Bowling: Basant Mohaty 27-11-41-2, Suryakant Pradhan 28-4-90-4, Deepak Behera 21-3-46-0, Biplab Samantaray 10-3-31-3, Jayanta Behera 15.2-2-62-1
ODISHA (1st innings): Girija Rout lbw Mundhe 9, Natraj Behera b Mundhe 17, Govinda Poddar c Motwani b Sanklecha 100, Anurag Sarangi b Fallah 6, Biplab Samantaray b Mundhe 1, Pratik Das c Dhumal b Mundhe 62, Rajesh Dhuper c Sanklecha b Mundhe 12, Deepak Behera c Sanklecha b Mundhe 12, Suryakant Pradhan b Sanklecha 0, Basant Mohanty c Tripathi b Khurana 19, Jayanta Behera (not out) 3; Extras (b 12, lb 5, w 1, nb 8) 26
Total (All out; 103.5 overs) 267
Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-38, 3-49, 4-68, 5-213, 6-230, 7-238, 8-239, 9-247, 10-267
Bowling: S Fallah 25-6-62-1, A Sanklecha 25-8-58-2, S Mundhe 31-10-62-6, N Dhumal 12-4-27-0, C Khurana 8.5-0-32-1, R Tripathi 2-0-9-0
MAHARASHTRA (2nd innings): S Gugale b Mohanty 71, HKhadiwale c Sarangi b D Behera 24, R Motwani c Dhuper b Mohanty 23, K Jadhav (not out) 100, A Bawane st Dhuper b J Behera 44, R Tripathy (not out) 17; Extras (b 5, lb 2, nb 2, w 1) 10
Total (4 wkts decl; 92.1 overs) 289
Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-119, 3-124, 4-238
Bowling: B Mohanty 21-4-58-2, S Pradhan 23-2-73-0, D Behera 16-5-42-1, J Behera 18-2-60-1, B Samantaray 13-3-39-0, G Poddar 1.1-0-10-0
ODISHA (2nd innings): G Rout (run out) 31, N Behera c Motwani b Sanklecha 7, G Poddar c Motwani b Sanklecha 6, A Sarangi c Khurana b Gugale 28, B Samantaray lbw Fallah 19, P Das (not out) 26, R Dhuper (not out) 6; Extras (b 4, lb 1, w 1) 6
Total (5 wkts; 55 overs) 129
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-26, 3-69, 4-90, 5-102
Bowling: S Fallah 10-4-23-1, A Sanklecha 7-1-11-2, S Mundhe 4-0-17-0, C Khurana 20-6-33-0, N Dhumal 2-1-1-0, S Gugale 12-3-39-1
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOTO: Odisha vice-captain Govinda Poddar (Left) and his teammate Pratik Das during their Ranji match against Maharashtra in Cuttack on Oct 9, 2015.
