Published: Dec 16, 2018, 01:49 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 16, 2018, 01:49 PM (IST)
Rajasthan pacers had the final say as they bowled their team to a thrilling 35-run win against Odisha at the KIIT Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.
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Chasing 173 to win, Odisha succumbed to the pace of Aniket Chaudhary who recorded his second five-wicket haul of the match to finish with figures of 5/25. The hosts were bowled out for 137 in their Ranji Trophy 2018-19, Elite C, Round 6 clash on the third day.
After a see-saw Day 2, Odisha still had hopes even though they had lost two wickets by the close of play with just six runs on the board. But TM Ul-Haq struck in the sixth over of the morning session when he sent back opener Santanu Mishra for 5.
Aniket then trapped both Debsasish Chaudhary and captain Biplab Samantray lbw to reduce Odisha to 56/5 in 27.5 overs.
And when a well-set Subhranshu Senapati holed out for 36, it seemed Odisha had lost their final hope of keeping the contest alive with Aniket breathing fire.
Instead of a meek surrender, no. 8 batsman Suryakant Pradhan decided to launch a counterattack and found an able company in Abhishek Raut who was willing to spend time on the crease.
Suryakant belted four fours and smoked four sixes to hit a quickfire half-century, giving a faint hope of a late recovery. With Abhishek, he took the team’s total past the 100-run.
From 69/6, Odisha had reached 122/6 but Aniket added a fourth wicket to his kitty by having Abhishek out caught behind on 8 to break the threatening seventh-wicket stand at 53.
Nathu Singh then bowled Basant Mohanty and then had Suryakanth hole out for a 33-ball 56. Aniket completed his fifer when he pinned last man Dhiraj Singh in front on 4 with Rajasthan recording their fifth win of the season.
Brief Scores: Rajasthan 135 and 148 beat Odisha 111 and 137 (Suryakant Pradhan 56; Aniket Chaudhary 5/25) by 35 runs
