Post News Network
Cuttack, Feb 6: Orissa pace troika Basant Mohanty (4/40), Alok Mangaraj (4/57) and Deepak Behera (2/38) bowled well in tandem to dismiss Saurashtra for 218 on the first day of their Group B Ranji Trophy tie here Friday at the Barabati Stadium. At stumps the hosts after facing one over were zero without loss.
Saurashtra would have been in dire straits but for the efforts of Chirag Jani (99 n o, 143b, 9×4, 5×6). With the score reading 99 for eight, the right-handed batsman launched a brilliant counter-attack on the Orissa bowlers. First he put on 47 runs for the ninth wicket with Siddharth Trivedi (19, 47b, 3×4) and then 72 runs for the 10th wicket with Sudeep Tyagi who contributed only nine.
Jani’s counterpunching left the Orissa bowlers baffled as they ran out of ideas. He hit two lovely straight sixes and three others were pulls off the short stuff. But he was unlucky to miss out on a well-deserved ton as Tyagi edged Alok to be caught behind by Subhrajit Sahoo.
Earlier after putting Saurashtra in, the Orissa bowlers picked up wickets at regular intervals. Much was expected of current India Test batsman, Cheteshwar Pujara (20, 63b, 4×4) but then Basant bowled him with a delivery that cut back sharply.
Alok bowled an inspired spell after lunch to send back Sheldon Jackson and Arpit Vasavada. Sheldon, trying to cut a ball too close to his body, was snapped up by Biplab Samantray at gully. Left-handed Vasavada played down the wrong line to a ball that came back to him and was caught plumb in front.
Skipper Jaydev Shah never looked comfortable at the crease repeatedly being beaten by Deepak. The lanky pace bowler finally had his victim when Shah drove without getting to the pitch of the ball and was snapped up by Subhrajit behind the stumps. Then Basant sent back Davindra Jadeja and Jaydev Unadkat in the space of 14 deliveries and suddenly the visitors were looking down the barrel.
But then Jani had other ideas. He was helped by the fact that Alok had to leave the field for a long period due to stretched hammy.
Brief scores: Saurashtra 218 (Chirag Jani 99; Basant Mohanty 4/40, Alok Mangaraj 4/57, Deepak Behera 2/38); Orissa 0 without loss. Match to continue.
