Left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq adopted up his 5 for 64 within the first innings with one other five-wicket haul (5 for 17) to go away Pondicherry reeling on 35 for seven versus Jammu & Kashmir on day two of the elite Group-D match within the sixth spherical of the Ranji Trophy on the Cricket Affiliation of Pondicherry (CAP) Siechem floor right here on Saturday.
That is Abid’s first-ever ten-wicket match haul in First-Class cricket.
Pondicherry had nearly bungled the chase of 87 earlier than the day’s play fortuitously ended for it.
“I assumed the sport was ours till the final session,” mentioned Pondicherry captain Rohit Damodaran after the day’s play.
It appeared the autumn of fast wickets prompted concern and the batters have been caught in two minds as to what was the most suitable choice – to assault or to grind.
“After KB (Arun Karthick) obtained out, I believe we have been severely involved,” mentioned Rohit, giving credit score to the Jammu & Kashmir bowlers. “Slightly than to say we have been involved and that didn’t work for us, I’d say that they bowled properly.”
Karthick skied his shot off left-arm spinner Vanshaj Sharma for Shubham Singh Pundir to take a working catch at mid off.
Abid then had Mohit Mittan’s center stump uprooted, Paras Dogra leg earlier than, and Krishna Pandey’s edged shot caught by Vivrant Sharma at mid-off to finish his fifer and kiss the bottom in celebration.
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Earlier, he had opener Karthik Jayasundaram nick to be caught behind and Akash Kargave leg earlier than.
“I believe we gave too many runs within the second session,” mentioned Rohit. He was referring to Pondicherry’s incapacity to go for the kill.
After lunch, Jammu & Kashmir misplaced 5 wickets to be bowled out, but additionally scored 71 runs.
Left-hander Shubham Singh, seemingly having barely superior from the crease, missed his whip off his legs to be dismissed leg earlier than by off-spinner Kargave. It was a key second, because the batter had settled in with an 84-ball 30 (1×4) and had added 36 runs off 91 balls for the sixth-wicket partnership with Sahil Lotra (19, 40b).
Lotra, to his credit score, finely swept left-arm spinner Sagar Udeshi to the fantastic leg boundary for 4. He edged his ahead defence to be caught by Mittan at gully off Udeshi.
The following little bit of frustration for Pondicherry got here within the type of a 74-ball eighth-wicket stand. Wicketkeeper-batter Fazil Rashid and left-hander Abid accrued 35 runs.
Fazil (36, 67b, 3×4), who appeared a bit strong as he did within the first innings, once more couldn’t convert it into an extended innings. He was caught by substitute Vijai Raja at mid-on off left-arm spinner Sidak Singh, after Abid nicked his block off a bouncy supply to be caught behind to off-spinner Rohit.
Fazil remarkably drove Kargave for 2 back-to-back fours to the quilt boundary.
Umran Nazir was the final wicket to fall, caught by substitute Premraj at foolish level off Sidak.
4 wickets fell within the first session.
Opener Qamran Iqbal was caught by Paras Ratnaparkhe at foolish level off Udeshi. Left-hander Vivrant Sharma was dimissed leg earlier than as he missed his sweep off Rohit, who additionally had Abdul Samad caught by Karthikeyan at lengthy on.
Jammu & Kashmir skipper and opener Shubham Khajuria dug in for a 95-ball 25 (2×4), earlier than being dismissed leg earlier than off Rohit. He went on the backfoot, and turned front-on, lacking his whip off his legs.
Rohit was unlucky that a few catches weren’t held on to. Shubham Singh was dropped by Sidak at cowl, and Lotra was dropped by Premraj at foolish level. Within the second case, the gully dived to latch on to the rebound and failed.
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On Sunday, Jammu & Kashmir wants solely three wickets, whereas Pondicherry wants 52 runs to win.
Lots rides on this outcome for Pondicherry.
“If we get an outright win this sport, we’re additionally within the knockouts scene (competition), and something can occur. Within the historical past of Pondicherry, I don’t know what number of instances it could occur,” mentioned Rohit.
That’s why he’s pushed himself to play this match regardless of not being absolutely match. Spin-bowling all-rounder Fabid Ahmed was dominated out for this match with an ankle twist, and so Rohit needed to play.
Rohit is unbeaten on the crease with Sidak.
Requested what method Pondicherry ought to undertake on Sunday, he mentioned: “I believe for the primary half-an-hour, we must always attempt to counter-attack. If we get previous the half-hour of counter-attack, then I believe the sport is anyone’s.”