Bowlers put UP in driving seat vs Assam
LUCKNOW: Captain Akshdeep Nath was quite confident about a good show by Uttar Pradesh’s bowlers as well as batsmen on a sporting wicket in Kanpur even a day before the start of their Elite Group C Ranji Trophy tie against Assam on Sunday.
The bowlers kept Akshdeep’s confidence afloat with a dazzling performance on Monday to put former champions and hosts on the driving seat on the opening day of their four-day crucial encounter. The other good news for UP on Monday was the no-play on day one in the tie between Jharkhand and J&K due to rain in Jammu.
With a cool breeze sweeping the Green Park Stadium, lanky seamers Yash Dayal and Ankit Rajpoot stunned the visitors, claiming five wickets for just 27 even before the first drinks break, before visitors finishing their first essay at 175 in 53.4 overs.
Needing minimum three points on the basis of the first innings to make it to the quarterfinals, Uttar Pradesh started off well and finished the day at 64/1 in 26 overs. Opener Umang Sharma and Mohammad Said were at the crease at draw of stumps. Uttar Pradesh now need 112 runs to take lead.
Umang and Samarth (19, 36b, 3x4) stitched together 41 runs for the opening wicket before Samarth being caught by Kunal Saikia off Ranjeev Mali in the 14th over. Umang struck five boundaries in his unbeaten 32, which came off 74 balls, whereas Saif played with soft hands to make 12 in 47 balls, which contained two hits to the fence.
Earlier, every face in UP camp had a smile when Akshdeep chose to bowl first after winning the toss. Ankit and Yash sent down five overs in unison, letting the Assam openers guessing
NEEDING MINIMUM THREE POINTS ON THE BASIS OF THE FIRST INNINGS TO MAKE IT TO THE QUARTERFINALS, UTTAR PRADESH STARTED OFF WELL AND FINISHED THE DAY AT 64/1 IN 26 OVERS. OPENER UMANG SHARMA AND MOHAMMAD SAID WERE AT THE CREASE AT DRAW OF STUMPS. UTTAR PRADESH NOW NEED 112 RUNS TO TAKE LEAD
the swing before Yash uprooting the middle stump of Rahul Hazarika (0) with a perfect in-swinger on the very second ball of the sixth over of the innings.
That, however, opened the flood gate as Ankit had fellow opener Rishav Das (11) caught by keeper Upendra Yadav in the ninth over, before Yash forced Gokul Sharma (1) for a regulation catch to Akshdeep Nath at slips in the following over.
Ankit then trapped Kunal Saikia (4) leg before the wicket before Yash removing skipper Amit Sinha (1) again on a swinging delivery in the 12th over.
Though Sarupam Purkayastha (35, 63b, 7x4) and Pallav Kumar Das (75, 105b, 10x4, 1x6) and then Pallav and Jitumoni Kalita (23, 61b, 4x4) tried to delay the inevitable, adding 63 runs for the fifth wicket and then 56-run for the seventh wicket, respectively, but spinner Saurabh Kumar and gutsy seamer Imtiyaz Ahmed kept Assam batsmen in a tight spot with their deliveries.
Saurabh took three for 25 and remains a wicket away from his 50-wicket of the season, whereas Imtiyaz had 2/49.
Now, Uttar Pradesh would be looking for the first innings lead as soon as possible as the threat of rain God still looms large over the match.