Ranji Trophy 2019-20: All-round Goa beats Nagaland

Goa dished out an all-round performance to thrash Nagaland by 229 runs inside three days in a Ranji Trophy Plate Group contest here on Thursday.

Goa already had a 142-run first-innings lead, and in the second dig, Snehal Kauthankar (68 n.o., 63b, 9x4, 1x6) and captain Amit Verma (66, 73b, 6x4s, 2x6) added 103 runs in 95 balls in a fourth-wicket partnership to lay the foundation for Goa’s 221 for four declared. Nagaland was set a stiff target of 364.

Little resistance

In reply, only three Nagaland batsmen reached double digits as the team folded for 134 in 36.4 overs. This was its second defeat this season. Stuart Binny top-scored with 58 and Shrikant Mundhe scored 38 but there was hardly any resistance from the other batsmen.

RANJI TROPHY ROUND VIII DAY 4 | AS IT HAPPENED

Vijesh Prabhudessai (3 for 13) was the most successful bowler for Goa, while Lakshay Garg, Darshan Misal and Amit Verma claimed two wickets each. This was Goa’s sixth win; it climbs past Puducherry (41) in the points table with a slender lead of two points.

Five-wicket-haul for Pandrekar

Left-arm spinner Amulya Pandrekar, who was adjudged the man-of-the-match, set it up with his maiden five-for (5 for 31) as Nagaland was bundled out for 176 on Thursday morning, giving the visiting team a handsome lead.

Earlier, resuming at the overnight score of 167 for nine, Nagaland was bundled out after addition of just nine runs with left-arm spinner Darshan Misal (2 for 9) dismissing Tahmeed Rahman.