Left-arm spinner Gagandeep Singh claimed four for 34 to help Chhattisgarh bowl out TNCA XI for 194 and secure a 273-run first-innings lead on day three of the Buchi Babu tournament semifinal at the NPR College cricket ground here on Wednesday.
Chhattisgarh tweakers took nine wickets in all.
After TNCA XI lost its openers early, skipper Pradosh Ranjan Paul (22, 31b, 4x4) and Ajitesh (39, 57b, 6x4) engaged in an attacking 51-run third-wicket stand that lasted 63 balls.
Left-hander Pradosh remarkably played an exquisite cover drive for a boundary off Jeevesh Butte. But his positive intent led to his dismissal. His slog sweep off Gagandeep was caught by Vasudev Bareth at deep midwicket.
Double-edged sword
The highlight of Ajitesh’s innings was the sweep. He paddle-swept Butte for a four to the fine-leg boundary, and four balls later paddle-swept again for a fine-leg four off Gagandeep. Yet, he perished missing his paddle sweep off left-arm spinner Shashank Tiwari to be dismissed leg before wicket.
Thereafter, TNCA XI was reduced to 110 for six, before Gagandeep picked up three wickets in a row. Left-hander Mokit Hariharan (28) had his backfoot whip caught by Anuj Tiwari at short midwicket, while fellow left-hander Ajith Ram charged and hit it straight to Anuj Tiwari at short midwicket. Nidhish S. Rajagopal (34), the last left-hander to fall, missed his backfoot block to be bowled.
Earlier, off-spinner Lakshay Jain completed his five-wicket haul (five for 152) as Chhattisgarh finished with 467.
The scores (semifinal, day three): Chhattisgarh 467 in 150.5 overs (Ayush Pandey 82, Anuj Tiwari 93, Amandeep Khare 97, Prateek Yadav 109, Ajith Ram 4/115, Lakshay Jain 5/152) & 49/3 in 27 overs vs. TNCA XI 194 in 64.4 overs (Gagandeep Singh 4/34).
