Bhubaneswar: Odisha are heading towards a defeat after Uttar Pradesh pacers Ankit Rajpoot (3/48) and Shivam Mavi (3/43) put the visitors in the driver’s seat on the penultimate day of their Elite Group C Ranji Trophy encounter here at the KIIT Stadium, Wednesday. As the situation stands, UP are in all probability to pocket full points making it two wins from two matches.
Odisha were 180/7 at stumps, still one run behind UP’s first innings lead, with Shantanu Mishra (19 batting) at the crease. It was after veteran Odia pacer Basant Mohanty (6/62) bagged his 18th five-wicket haul in first class cricket to help his side bowl the visitors out for 437.
After conceding a 181-run first innings lead, Odisha began their second essay watchfully as the openers Anurag Sarangi (9) and Sandeep Pattnaik (46, 80b, 9×4) added 33 runs before the former’s departure.
Odisha got into more trouble when they lost back to back wickets to be reduced to 86/3. Sandeep was the first to go after a 42-run second wicket stand with Govind Poddar (27) before the former skipper getting out as Mavi pocketed both the wickets.
Subhranshu Senapati (42), who scored a half century in the first innings, then came in to bat and added 29 runs for the fourth wicket with his skipper Biplab Samantray (8) before the latter’s dismissal. Subhranshu was then joined by Shantanu and the youngsters tried to make amends but Yash Dayal (1/50) got rid of Subhranshu to make Odisha totter at 145/5.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Sujit Lenka (19) did try to ease some pressure hitting left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar for 17 runs in an over but couldn’t capatalise on the start as he was fell to a brilliant diving low catch by Mohammed Saif off Rajpoot towards the end of the day. He added 29 runs for the sixth wicket with Shantanu. Debabrata Pradhan () got out off the final delivery of the day’s play to pile more misery on Odisha.
Earlier, it was a perfect start for Odisha in the morning as they picked up three quick wickets to leave UP at 380/9. However, Mavi (34) and Dayal (25 n o) added 57 runs for the final wicket to extend their lead. Overnight centurion Akshdeep Nath (159, 282b, 23×4, 1×6) failed to add much to his overnight score adding only eight runs before he was dismissed off the bowling of Rajesh Mohanty (2/69).
Brief scores: Odisha 256 & 180/7 (Sandeep Pattnaik 46, Subhranshu Senapati 42; Shivam Mavi 3/43, Ankit Rajpoot 3/48); Uttar Pradesh 437 (Shivam Mavi 34; Basant Mohanty 6/62). Match to continue.
