Ranji Plate Group A Match

Mammoth task ahead for Assam against Tripura:

Guwahati, Dec. 10: A career best five-wicket haul by Assam pacer Krishna Das failed to restrain Tripura from setting a big first innings target before the hosts today.

Tripura piled up 460 runs against the hosts on the second day of their Ranji Trophy Plate Group A tie being played at Nehru Stadium here.

In reply, Assam, who need a first innings lead to ensure a semi-final berth, were 68 for one in 30 overs at draw of stumps.

Resuming at an overnight score of 285 for four off 92 overs, the visitors this morning lost Mumbai professional Nishit Shetty off the third ball of a Krishna Das delivery in the very second over of the day.

Shetty could add just one run to his overnight 164 before being bowled out by Das to put an end to a 148-run fifth wicket partnership with Timir Chanda.

Chanda, however, took up the reins of the Tripura innings and shared two more partnerships with wicket-keeper Rajiv Dutta (22) and southpaw Tushar Saha to put up an individual score of 72 runs before being bowled out by paceman Mrigen Talukdar. Chanda’s 236-ball knock comprised seven hits to the fence.

After Chanda’s dismissal, Saha continued to anchor the innings and shared a last wicket partnership of 82 runs with Jayanta Debnath (36, 5x4) to take the Tripura innings beyond lunch.

Tushar Saha remained unbeaten on 73, slamming 11 fours and a huge six over the boundary.

Krishna Das today accounted for the dismissals of Shetty, Abhijit Dey and Debnath to add to yesterday’s two wickets of Bappa Das and Rajiv Saha.

Spinner Arlen Konwar claimed two wickets for 112 runs to join the100 wicket takers’ club in first class cricket. He is the first spinner from Assam to achieve the feat.

Chasing the huge target, Assam started trying with the fifth opener of the season in the form of under-22 all-rounder Gokul Sharma, who replaced injured S Suresh for the match, with Palashjyoti Das at the other end.

Though the openers started cautiously, Sharma was caught in the slips by Rajiv Saha off a Debnath turner for 13 (2x4).

Palashjyoti Das was batting on 35 (5x4) and Tarjinder Singh on 10 (1x4) at the close of the day’s play.

Brief Scorecard:
Assam 68 for 1 (Palashjyoti Das 35 batting; Tarjinder Singh 10 batting) trail Tripura 460 (Nishit Shetty 165; Timir Chanda 72; Tushar Saha 73 not out; Krishna Das 5/140; Dhiraj Goswami 2/76; Arlen Konwar 2/112) by 392 runs

Posted On: The Telegraph

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