Bhubaneswar: Odisha and Jharkhand settled for a draw, sharing one point each in their Ranji Trophy Group C encounter after the hosts finished at 280 for seven in reply to Jharkhand’s 433 for eight declared on the fourth and final day at the KIIT Cricket Stadium here Thursday. Resuming at 23 without loss, Odisha added 257 runs during the day but could not complete their first innings before the match ended. Opener Swastik Samal top-scored with 80 off 127 balls, striking 11 fours and a six, while Anil Parida contributed 57 off 151 deliveries. Wicketkeeper-batter Rajesh Dhuper remained unbeaten on 39 as Odisha reached 280 for seven in 88 overs. Gaurav Choudhury was not out on six.
For Jharkhand, Manishi and Pratyush Kumar claimed three wickets each, while Odisha’s Lalit Yadav and Rajesh Mohanty had earlier taken two wickets apiece. Aditya Singh was named Player of the Match for his 104 off 298 balls in Jharkhand’s first innings, while Robin Minz remained unbeaten on 100.
Brief score: Jharkhand 433/8 declared; Odisha 280/7 in 88 overs (Swastik Samal 80, Anil Parida 57, Rajesh Dhuper 39 not out). Match drawn. Points: Odisha 1, Jharkhand 1.
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