10-Feb-1997
Half-century in both innings by Prasanta Mohapatra helped Orissa draw their four-day Ranji Trophy Super League Group-A match against formidable Punjab on the last day at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali today. But host Punjab gathered five points by taking first-innings lead, while Orissa gained three.
Put into bat by Punjab captain Navjot Singh Sidhu, Orissa rode on a half-century each by Prasanta Mohapatra and captain Sanjay Raul to compile healthy total of 312. Among other Orissa batsmen, debutant Pravanjan Mullick and Rashmi Ranjan Parida contributed 44 and 35 respectively.
In reply, Punjab were in deep trouble, losing three wickets with only 29 runs on the board. Debasis Mohanty rocked the Punjab innings, dismissing Sidhu and Yuvraj Singh without score. However, an unbeaten double century by opener Ajay Mehra enabled the home team to fight back and declare at 434 for eight.
Right-arm medium pacer Ajay Barik was most successful Orissa bowler, capturing three wickets for 119 run on his first-class debut. After conceding a first-innings lead of 122 runs, Orissa were 146 for three in their second innings when the match ended in draw. Pradip Das was the third Orissa player to make his first-class debut in this match.
SCORECARD (Orissa Match No 148):
ORISSA (1st innings): Alekha Barik b Bhushan 5, P Jayachandra c Mongia b Bhushan 21, Prasanta Mohapatra c A Mehra b Kapoor 50, *Sanjay Raul lbw Kapoor 64, Rashmi Ranjan Parida lbw Sharma 35, Pravanjan Mullick c M Mehra b Harvinder Singh 44, Pradip Das lbw Bhushan 21, +Gautam Gopal c Bhushan b Harvinder Singh 16, Rajiv Seth c M Mehra b Bhushan 1, Ajay Barik b Bhushan 9, Debasis Mohanty not out 6; Extras (b-6, lb-15, nb-14, w-5) 40
Total (all out, 108.2 overs) 312
Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-37, 3-114, 4-202, 5-208, 6-272, 7-285, 8-292, 9-296, 10-312
Punjab bowling: Harvinder Singh 29-6-85-2, Bhushan 29.2-9-72-5, Sharma 21-8-48-1, Kapoor 28-3-84-2, Mongia 1-0-2-0
PUNJAB (1st innings): A Mehra not out 200, Yuvraj Singh c Gopal b Mohanty 0, *NS Sidhu b Mohanty 0, D Mongia run out 10, Bhupinder Singh c Parida b Raul 48, R Saini c Mohapatra b Ajay Barik 39, +M Mehra c Raul b Ajay Barik 32, AR Kapoor c Mohanty b Seth 38, S Sharma b Ajay Barik 17, Harvinder Singh not out 6, B Bhushan did not bat; Extras (b-1, lb-10, nb-27, w-6) 44
Total (8 wickets, declared, 158.5 overs) 434
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-6, 3-29, 4-121, 5-215, 6-303, 7-375, 8-417
Orissa bowling: Mohanty 49-15-102-2, Seth 34-10-86-1, Ajay Barik 34.5-7-119-3, Raul 34-9-96-1, Jayachandra 7-0-20-0.
ORISSA (2nd innings): Alekha Barik b Kapoor 16, P Jayachandra c Bhushan b Sharma 6, PR Mohapatra not out 80, PK Das st M Mehra b Bhupinder Singh 28, PM Mullick not out 3; Extras (b-6, lb-1, nb-5, w-1) 13
Total (3 wickets, 49 overs) 146
Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-63, 3-141
Punjab bowling: Harvinder Singh 4-0-12-0, Bhushan 6-1-16-0, Sharma 10-4-17-1, Kapoor 19-3-46-1, Mongia 5-2-18-0, Yuvraj Singh 1-0-7-0, Bhupinder Singh 4-0-23-1.
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PHOTO: Undated file photo of Orissa batsman Prasanta Mohapatra.
