Ranji Trophy Group C: Services takes full control, reduces Maharashtra to 93-5

After assailing a 241-run lead, Services bowlers continued their good work in the match by leaving Maharashtra staring at an innings defeat.

In the second innings, Maharashtra opener Ruturaj Gaikwad was dismissed for a first-ball duck. (FILE IMAGE)

Services seized the upper-hand against Maharashtra on the second day of their Ranji Trophy Group C match on Friday, with the visiting team requiring a further 148 runs to avoid an innings defeat here.

Services made 285 in its first innings after bundling out Maharashtra for 44 and then reduced the visitor to 93 for 5 in the second innings.

Resuming at 141 for 4, Services was well-served by Ravi Chauhan’s half-century (65, 180 balls, 6 fours) and useful knocks of 47 each by Vikas Hathwala and AP Sharma as the lead swelled to 241.

Services then left Maharashtra tottering with half its side back in the dressing room to take full control of the match at the Air force Complex Ground in Palam.

Ruturaj Gaikwad fell for a first-ball duck after a first-innings score of 4, while the other opener M S Trunkwala (1) was forced to retire hurt.

The experienced Ankit Bawne, who failed in the first innings, once again cut a sorry figure as he was bowled by Sachidanand Pandey for a six-ball duck.

Chirag Khurana (4) was removed by Pandey, while Rahul Tripathi (11) was dismissed by Diwesh Pathania.

Naushad S Shaik (40 batting, 85 balls, 4 fours) and wicketkeeper Vishant More (33 batting, 80 balls, 6 fours) then defied the Services attack for close to 25 overs and ensured that Maharashtra did not suffer any more setbacks.

For the host, right-arm medium-pacer Sachidanand Pandey picked up three wickets.

There was no play possible in the game between Tripura and Odisha in Agartala for the second successive day.

Brief scores Maharashtra 44 all out in 30.2 overs (PS Poonia 5/11, Sachidanand Pandey 3/18) and 93 for 5 in 34 overs (NS Shaikh 40; Sachidanand Pandey 3/20) vs Services 285 all out in 95.2 overs (Ravi Chauhan 65, AP Sharma 47, Vikas Hathwala 47, Rajat Paliwal 42; MD Ingale 5/73, AA Sanklecha 2/78). At Ranchi: Jharkhand 259 all out in 84 overs (Saurabh Tiwary 81, Kumar Deobrat 35, Abid Mushtaq 5/56) vs J&K 135 for 3 in 36 overs (Suryansh Raina 76; Ashish Kumar 3/46). At Dehardun: Assam 294 all out in 92 overs (Riyan Parag 123, Gokul Sharma 47, Kunal Saikia 36; Sunny 3/34, Mayank Mishra 3/55, Rahil Shah 3/71) vs Uttarakhand 32 for 4 in 19 overs (Ranjeet Mali 3/11). At Raipur: Haryana 123 all out in 28.4 overs (AK Chahal 34 not out, Ankit Kumar 26; Pankaj Rao 3/26) vs Chhattisgarh 119 all out in 35.1 overs (Vishal Singh 45 not out, Jiwanjot Singh 24; AK Chahal 5/25, Harshal V Patel 4/40)