Tamil Nadu’s (TN) season started with a batting collapse in the first innings against Andhra and it culminated in a similar fashion that resulted in a 102-run defeat to Baroda in its final league game at the Motibaug cricket ground here on Tuesday.
The defeat meant TN finished fifth in the group just above Tripura and Odisha and failed to record a single outright win this season.
Chasing 233, TN’s top order were decimated in the first hour of play tottering at 30 for five with Baroda pacers Lukman Meriwala and Atit Sheth wreaking havoc.
The ground is known for its assistance to bowlers in the first hour of play. The hosts made full use of the new ball and early winter morning conditions; loose shots by the TN top-order triggered the collapse.
Ranji Trophy: Tamil Nadu gives away the upper hand again
Three of the five batsmen were caught poking outside the off-stump and were caught behind by the keeper or in the slips, while Kaushik Gandhi perished trying to fetch a wide one and hitting it straight to covers.
M. Mohammed who was promoted up the order at six, but he was treated with a short one into his body off the first ball. He couldn’t get out of the way and the ball went to first slip.
Like in the game against Andhra, B. Aparajith was the only one showing resilience. He played a tight game as he valiantly fought till the end with his second half-century of the match.
Aparajith found a few boundaries even as runs were hard to come by. He was supported first by Washington Sundar and then by V. Yo Mahesh, both adding 49 runs with Aparajith for the sixth and eighth wicket respectively.
Swapnil Singh (four for 21) once again did the trick picking the last three wickets in the extended session before tea, bundling out TN for just 130.
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