Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Denish, Purkayastha put Assam in control against TN on Day 3

Resuming at the overnight 176 for three, the home team rode on Denish’s superb 109 (195b, 14x4) and Swarupam’s 90 (131b, 10x4, 3x6) to make a huge score of 445 in the first innings to secure a 107-run lead.

Assam captain Denish Das scored a century and helped put his team in control. | Photo Credit:  EMMANUAL YOGINI/ The Hindu

Skipper Denish Das scored his maiden first-class century while Swarupam Purkayastha missed out on a ton as Assam dominated proceedings on the third day of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group-D match against Tamil Nadu at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium here on Friday.

Resuming at the overnight 176 for three, the home team rode on Denish’s superb 109 (195b, 14x4) and Swarupam’s 90 (131b, 10x4, 3x6) to make a huge score of 445 in the first innings to secure a 107-run lead.

Tamil Nadu ended the day at eight for no loss, trailing by 99 runs.

Denish and southpaw Sibsankar Roy, who made 69 (208b, 9x4) were involved in a massive 173-run partnership for the fourth wicket, which turned the game in Assam’s favour. The two went about the business of gathering runs in a clinical manner even as the Tamil Nadu bowlers tried their best but in vain.

Denish fell to off-spinner S. Mohamed Ali against the run of play when he looked set for a big score.

Sibsankar became the first of Pradosh Ranjan Paul’s three scalps when he was caught close-in by S. Lokeshwar.

Wicket-keeper-batter Sumit Ghadigaonkar (20), the team’s highest run-getter so far this season, played fluently but was done in by Pranav as he nicked one to ‘keeper Jagadeesan.

With the host 17 runs behind and Tamil Nadu aiming to wrap up the innings quickly, Mukhtar Hussain (35, 77b, 4x4) stepped up superbly, and his 91-run stand with Swarupam shut the door on the opposition.

Swarupam, who was not afraid to take the aerial route, fell 10 short of a century but had done enough to put Assam in command.

Pradosh picked up three wickets, while Mohamed Ali and debutant pacer R.D. Pranav Ragavendra took two apiece for the visitor.

The scores:

Tamil Nadu - 1st innings: 338. Assam - 1st innings: Parvej Musaraf lbw b Sonu 18, Rishav Das c Andre b Gurjapneet 54, Subham Mandal c Jagadeesan b Mohamed Ali 16, Denish Das b Mohamed Ali 109, Sibsankar Roy c Lokeshwar b Pradosh 69, Sumit Ghadigaonkar c Jagadeesan b Pranav 20, Swarupam Purkayastha c Shahrukh b Pradosh 90, Mukthar Hussain c Jagadeesan b Pradosh 35, Mrinmoy Dutta b Shahrukh 6, Rahul Singh b Pranav 4, Darshan Rajbangshi (not out) 0; Extras (b-10, lb-7, w-4, nb-3): 24; Total (in 146.2 overs): 445. Fall of wickets: 1-49, 2-89, 3-105, 4-278, 5-290, 6-321, 7-412, 8-435, 9-441. Tamil Nadu bowling: Gurjapneet 22-7-62-1, Pranav 23.2-0-108-2, Sonu 24-3-76-1, Sai Kishore 8.5-1-18-0, Pradosh 13.1-3-45-3, Mohamed Ali 35-9-79-2, Vijay Shankar 15-7-23-0, Shahrukh 5-1-17-1. Tamil Nadu - 2nd innings: S. Lokeshwar (batting) 2, N Jagadeesan (batting) 5; Extras (nb-1): 1; Total (for no loss in 4 overs): 8. Assam bowling: Mukhtar 2-1-3-0, Mrinmoy 1-0-4-0, Rahul 1-0-1-0.