Buchi Babu tournament: Gagandeep’s four-for helps Chhattisgarh secure 273-run first innings lead against TNCA XI

Earlier in the first innings, Chhattisgarh finished with 467 on board after Lakshay Jain completed his five-wicket haul.

Left-arm spinner Gagandeep Singh claimed four for 34 to help Chhattisgarh bowl out TNCA XI for 194. | Photo Credit: Karthikeyan G/ The Hindu

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 in Natham on Wednesday.

Chhattisgarh spinners took nine wickets in all.

Off-spinner Jeevesh Butte turned it past left-hander Athish’s outside edge to get him bowled for a duck on the second ball of the innings. Lokeshwar (duck) followed his opening partner to the pavilion in the next over, when he missed his straight drive to be bowled through the gate by pacer Vishvash Malik.

TNCA skipper Pradosh Ranjan Paul (22, 31b, 4x4) and Ajitesh (39, 57b, 6x4), then, engaged in an attacking 51-run third-wicket stand that lasted 63 balls.

Paul pulled Butte to the square leg boundary for a four to get off the mark. He also charged at him and flicked off his pads for a midwicket four. His best off Butte was his exquisite cover drive for a four. But his positive intent first put his wicket at risk, before leading to his dismissal. He came down the track to miss his long-on heave, but the ball kept low for the keeper to miss it too for four byes. The next ball, his slog sweep off Gagandeep was caught by Vasudev Bareth at deep midwicket.

Ajitesh too got off the mark with a four off a fine cover drive to Vishvash. The highlight of his 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. He also swept to the deep backward square leg boundary for a four off Butte. Yet, he perished playing the sweep, as he missed his paddle sweep off left-arm spinner Shashank Tiwari to get struck in front.

Thereafter, TNCA 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 (1) charged and hit it straight to Anuj at short midwicket too. 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).