Half-centuries from Mandeep and Gurnoor, Punjab grab crucial lead in first innings
Half-centuries from experienced captain Mandeep Singh and young Gurnoor Brar helped Punjab take a crucial 46-run first innings lead against Jammu and Kashmir in their Ranji Trophy Group D match, here on Thursday. Jammu and Kashmir started the third day morning at 176 for six and the entire team was bundled out for 212 runs in 54.1 overs. Bad weather affected the first two days of the match. Baltej Singh continued his fine form of 11 wickets in the last match against Gujarat, taking five for 47 while experienced Siddharth Kaul returned figures of four for 82.
Jammu and Kashmir bowlers troubled the hosts and reduced their score to 147 for seven but Mandeep (104 balls, 69 runs) and Gurnoor (60 balls, 64 runs, five fours, three sixes) added 100 runs. At least three points were ensured for Punjab. Punjab’s first innings ended on 268 runs. Jammu and Kashmir lost the wicket of their senior batsman Shubham Khajuria in the second innings, leaving the team at 18 for one at stumps.
In Surat, Tripura were 304 for four in their second innings at stumps thanks to Sudip Chatterjee’s 104 not out and Rajat Dey’s 77 not out. Earlier, Railways’ first innings ended on 337 runs. Taking the first innings lead in Indore, the Madhya Pradesh team had scored 189 runs for the loss of two wickets in the second innings at stumps on the third day against Gujarat by Himanshu Mantri (65 runs). Madhya Pradesh had scored 312 runs in the first innings while Gujarat’s team could manage only 211 runs despite a half-century from Priyank Panchal (71 runs). In Chandigarh, Vidarbha declared their first innings at 307 for six, riding on a century from Sanjay Raghunath (133 runs) and a half-century from Arthav Tayde (77 runs). In response, Chandigarh had lost one wicket till stumps and its score was 16 runs.
