Ranji Trophy: Assam tottering against Odisha on home turf

Ranji Trophy

Our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI: Assam were struggling on day I against Odisha in the Ranji Trophy match here today.

Invited to bat, the side were bowled out paltry 121 runs in the first innings. Later Odisha scored 86-3 in their first innings at stumps.

It was the first home game for Assam in the season but the side failed to take any advantage of it on the first day. Nothing had gone right and unless young pacer Mukhtar Hussain picked up three wickets it would be completely one sided story.

Invited to bat at the overcast condition Assam, which made two changes in the team bringing in debutant Romario Sharma and Kunal Saikia in place of Gokul Sarma and Wasiqur Rahman, struggled from the very early stage of the game and was once reduced to 19-3. The side failed to recover and finally bowled out 121 in the first innings.

Ranjeet Mali, who went to bat at number eight position, was the top scorer and he contributed 28 runs in the board with the help of five boundaries. He also made a crucial partnership with Arup Das on the 8th wicket and it was only because of their 34 runs partnership that helped Assam to score 100 plus runs in the first innings.

Apart from Ranjeet, Riyan Parag (24) was the other major contributor in the innings today.

Among the Odisha bowlers Rajesh Mohanty (5-31) was the most successful.

However Assam started their bowling nicely and Mukhtar sent opener Rajesh Dhuper (1) and Gobinda Poddar (0) in a gap of three balls to put huge pressure on the visitors who were 16 for 2 at that point. But the other opener Anurag Sarengi (61no) played good knock under pressure and took his side out from the trouble. The batsman played 126 balls to score unbeaten 61 runs with the help of 13 boundaries. Odisha lost another wicket today in the form of Subhranshu Senapati (10) and this one too was collected by Mukhtar who ended the day 3-27. Captain Biplab Samantray (7) giving accompany to Anurag when the day’s play came to an end.

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