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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Ranji Plate Group A Match

Tripura 285/4 on Day One against Assam:

Guwahati, Dec 9: Nishit Shetty smashed a career-best 164 not out to propel Tripura to a healthy 285 for 4 against Assam on the first day of four-day Ranji Trophy Plate Division Group A match at Nehru Stadium here on Sunday.

Electing to bat after winning the toss, Tripura were in touch of bother at 32 for 3 before Shetty added 106 runs for the fourth wicket with Rajib Saha, who made his highest first-class score of 66, and a further 147 for the unbroken fifth wicket with Timir Chanda (36 not out).

Shetty struck 26 boundaries in his 232-ball knock as Tripura headed towards a big first-innings total.

For Assam, Krishna Das and Dhiraj Goswami took two wickets apiece, conceding 73 and 54 runs respectively.

Brief Scorecard:
Tripura 1st innings: 285 for 4 (Shetty 164 batting; Rajib saha 66; Timir Chanda batting 36; Krshna Das 2/73; Dhiraj Goswami 2/54)

Ranji Trophy Plate Group A Match

Assam vs Tripura:

Guwahati, Dec. 7: Host Assam’s morale is running high after registering back-to-back wins against Kerala in Silchar and Services during the last two weeks.

The team will now look for an outright win against Tripura to be invincible in second place in the group tally with 16 points.

Tripura, however, will be no pushovers, after registering a four-wicket win against Kerala in Agartala this week.

The crucial Ranji Trophy Plate Group A four-day league match will be held at Nehru Stadium in Guwahati from Sunday.

Assam has 11 points and Tripura eight from four matches each.

Assam need only three points by virtue of a first innings lead from a drawn encounter to seal their berth in the knockouts.

Gujarat lead the group A tally with 22 points from four matches and meet Kerala -- with eight points -- in Ahmedabad from Sunday.

Orissa eliminated Assam in the semifinals last year at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack.

Assam have flown in Bangalore professional left arm spinner Anand Katti to replace Tamil Nadu recruit all-rounder S. Suresh in the match. Suresh had injured his finger in the last match against Services. The Assam Cricket Association will name the state squad for the match tomorrow.

Sources said barring Katti replacing Suresh, there would hardly be any change in the winning combination. The playing XI will have Krishna Das and Mrigen Talukdar as medium pacers and Katti and Arlen Konwar as the spinners. Katti’s inclusion will reinforce the spin attack. “Arlen Konwar will now be able to bowl without pressure, with Katti as a back-up,” said team manager Umananda Bora.

With Suresh out of the squad, either Saurav Bhagawati or Souvik Das will make the cut as a top order batsman and the fifth bowler for the team will be either Bichitra Baruah or Dhiraj Goswami. Tripura, on the other hand, have a promising batting line-up comprising Timir Chanda, Kishore Muhuri, Rajib Dutta, Rajesh Banik and Subal Chowdhury, who would definitely look forward to the batting track of the Nehru Stadium wicket with a fast outfield for some handsome scores.

The toss will once again play a vital role even after the Assam team management has, this time, impressed upon the ground committee to prepare a sporty track after surviving a scare on a purely batting track in the earlier match against Services.

Posted on: The Telegraph