Bhubaneswar: Uttar Pradesh skipper Akshdeep Nath (151 n o, 258b, 22×4, 1×6) started from where he left off against Goa in their last match to score a magnificent marathon century to guide his team to 361/6 against Odisha at the end of second day’s play in their Elite Group C encounter here at the KIIT Stadium, Tuesday.
UP were 105-run ahead of Odisha’s first innings total of 256. Nath was at the crease with the company of Saurabh Kumar (8 batting). This is the visiting skipper’s second century of the tournament after a 194-run knock against Goa in their campaign opener.
It was a perfect start for the hosts as they have planned picking with Basant Mohanty (3/44) picking up two quick wickets in a span of five runs in the morning session with the ball swinging a little. Resuming the day with an overnight score of 42/1, UP lost opener Madhav Kaushik (17) before Mohammed Saif (28) gifted a simple return catch to Basant in the fifth over of the day.
Things got worse for the visitors when India U-19 spinner Rajesh Mohanty (1/52) accounted for dangerous Suresh Raina (10) cheaply to leave UP reeling at 72/4 before lunch. However, No.6 batsman Priyam Garg (59, 94b, 9×4) then steadied the ship and along with his skipper to forge a 126-run fifth wicket partnership to virtually take the game away from Odisha and put them in command.
The duo didn’t hurried things up and looked for gaps all-through picking up ones and twos. They didn’t even go for the big hits and looked for occasional boundaries.
The only success for Odisha in the afternoon session came as Priyam when Biplab Samantray (1/53) accounted for the right-hander who gave a simple catch to Anurag Sarangi. In came Rinku Singh (72, 131b, 8×4) and the stylish left-hander started from where Priyam left and along with Akshdeep made the Odisha bowlers toil hard.
The short-heighted Aligarh-born cricketer took some time to settle in but once he had done that, played some delightful shots much to cheers from the handful of spectators.
Akshdeep and Rinku added 154 runs together for the sixth wicket before the latter was dismissed of a Debabrata Pradhan (1/57) towards the fag end of the day as former Odisha skipper Govind Poddar grabbed a brilliant one-handed low diving catch.
Brief scores: Odisha 256; UP 361/6 (Akshdeep Nath 151 n o, Rinku Singh 72; Basant Mohanty 3/44). Match to continue.
