Kritagya excels, puts UP on verge of winning vs Goa
: A four-wicket haul by Kritagya Singh helped twotime champions Uttar Pradesh tighten their noose around Goa for an outright win even on the penultimate day of their fourday Under-25 Col CK Nayudu Trophy match at Bengaluru on Thursday.
Lucknow’s Kritagya, a leftarm orthodox spinner bowled on a tight line to take 4/73 as Goa collapsed for 192 in their second innings even after conceding 121-run first innings lead, at Alur Cricket Stadium. Prince Yadav and Kunal Yadav shared four wickets between them, whereas Kunal Tyagi and Karan Chaudhary took a wicket each.
Uttar Pradesh in reply were 31/0 in seven overs, and now they need only 41 runs more on Friday to score their second outright win as many as games this season. Openers Sameer Rizvi (18, 21b, 2x4) and first innings centurion Aanjaneya Suryavanshi (13, 21b, 1x4) were at the crease at draw of stumps on Thursday.
Barring opener Vaibhav Govekar, all-rounder Ruthvik Naik and skipper Deepraj Gaonkar, no other Goa batter could show some resistance before Kritagya and Co. Govekar was caught and bowled by Kritagya after scoring 48, which came off 76 balls with the help of six fours and two sixes, Naik (41, 48b, 4x4, 1x6) was caught Anchit Yadav off Prince Yadav, whereas Gaonkar was caught by Anchit Yadav off Kunal Yadav. He made 34 in 93 balls with the help of two fours.
Kunal Tyagi hurled the first blow on Goa, forcing Ishaan Gadekar offer a catch to Prince Yadav on the very first ball of innings third over. From the other end Karan Chaudhary removed Manthan Khutar (1) with scoreboard reading just 12.
The 51-run third-wicket stand between VG Kahlon (16, 88b, 1x4)) and Vaibhav Govekar remained the highest for any wicket in Goa innings in the second innings.
Earlier resuming at the overnight score of 260/7, Uttar Pradesh went on adding 40-run to score 300 in 96 overs. Skipper Sameer Choudhary missed his second century of the season by four runs, scoring 96 in 236-ball with the help of 11 fours before being caught by Soham Sameer off Naik.
Before excelling with ball, Kritagya showed his might with willow, hitting 42-ball 27 with five hits to the fence. For Goa, pacer Naik finished with 6/56, whereas Heramb Parab, Deepraj Gaonkar and Tunish Sawkar shared three wickets between them.