Left-arm spinner Gagandeep Singh claimed 4 for 34 to assist Chhattisgarh bowl out TNCA XI for 194 and safe a 273-run first-innings lead on day three of the Buchi Babu match semifinal on the NPR School cricket floor right here on Wednesday.
Chhattisgarh tweakers took 9 wickets in all.
After TNCA XI misplaced its openers early, skipper Pradosh Ranjan Paul (22, 31b, 4×4) and Ajitesh (39, 57b, 6×4) engaged in an attacking 51-run third-wicket stand that lasted 63 balls.
Left-hander Pradosh remarkably performed an beautiful cowl drive for a boundary off Jeevesh Butte. However his optimistic intent led to his dismissal. His slog sweep off Gagandeep was caught by Vasudev Bareth at deep midwicket.
Double-edged sword
The spotlight of Ajitesh’s innings was the sweep. He paddle-swept Butte for a 4 to the fine-leg boundary, and 4 balls later paddle-swept once more for a fine-leg 4 off Gagandeep. But, he perished lacking his paddle sweep off left-arm spinner Shashank Tiwari to be dismissed leg earlier than wicket.
Thereafter, TNCA XI was lowered to 110 for six, earlier than Gagandeep picked up three wickets in a row. Left-hander Mokit Hariharan (28) had his backfoot whip caught by Anuj Tiwari at quick midwicket, whereas fellow left-hander Ajith Ram charged and hit it straight to Anuj Tiwari at quick midwicket. Nidhish S. Rajagopal (34), the final left-hander to fall, missed his backfoot block to be bowled.
Earlier, off-spinner Lakshay Jain accomplished his five-wicket haul (5 for 152) as Chhattisgarh completed with 467.
The scores (semifinal, day three): Chhattisgarh 467 in 150.5 overs (Ayush Pandey 82, Anuj Tiwari 93, Amandeep Khare 97, Prateek Yadav 109, Ajith Ram 4/115, Lakshay Jain 5/152) & 49/3 in 27 overs vs. TNCA XI 194 in 64.4 overs (Gagandeep Singh 4/34).
