Published: Dec 09, 2016, 09:17 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 09, 2016, 09:17 PM (IST)
Former champions Madhya Pradesh continued to trail fellow former champions Bengal by just 112 runs, at stumps on Day Three of Round 9 of the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2016-17 at the Palam A Stadium in Delhi on Friday. MP, who failed to put up a good display with thee ball, fired back with some good performance with the bat, as they still continue to fight for the heavy total of 475 for 9, scored by Bengal in the opening innings. MP, in their first innings, are currently 363 for the loss of 8 wickets, with Rajat Patidar, scoring 86, and Ankit Sharma, currently unbeaten on 90. Ishwar Pandey too contributed a decent 63.
Considering the scenario of the game right now, Bengal are all poised to take a lead in the opening innings, before they begin their second innings on Day Four. They are just 2 wickets short of suming up the MP innings. It was Bengal’s Sayan Ghosh, who was their star bowlers, who was good with his pace, thus claiming four crucial wickets. MP, however, managed to stay alive in the game with some good batting from Ankit Sharma and Ishwar Pandey’s, as they scored their highest individual score in First-Class crciet, while they also put on a healthy 121-run stand for the eighth wicket.
MP’s Rajat Patidar too played a steady knock off 86 off 107 balls, as he hit 15 boundaries and two sixes. The overnight pair of Mukul Raghav and Patidar finished their stand with 84 runs, as they were going good, before Ashok Dina broke the stand in the first ball of the evening on Day Two.
Brief scores:
Bengal 475 for 9 lead Madhya Pradesh 363 for 8 (Rajat Patidar 86, Ankit Sharma 90; Ankit Sharma 4 for 87) by 112 runs.
