Seamer Shahnawaz Hussain‘s career-best figures of 6 for 53 helped Chhattisgarh bowl out Himachal Pradesh for 167 and hand them a thrashing by an innings and 114 runs. Shahnawaz’s maiden five-wicket haul gave Chhatisgarh their first outright win of the season and with it seven points.
After Chhattisgarh posted 456 in their first innings to secure a 281-run lead, Himachal Pradesh were bowled out in 49.5 overs in their second dig. Himachal Pradesh’s innings was devoid of any momentum right from the start, as they slipped to 9 for 2, 88 for 5 and 121 for 7 at various stages. Only Nikhil Gangta (41) and Paras Dogra (35) played reasonably substantial knocks, but Shahnawaz cleaned up the middle and lower order. Earlier in the morning, Chhattisgarh added 67 runs to their overnight 389 for 6. Rishi Dhawan, Pankaj Jaiswal and Sidharth Sharma claimed three wickets each.
Vidarbha held the whip hand at the end of day three after bowling out Bengal for 207 in their first innings and making them follow on in Kalyani.
Resuming their first innings on 89 for 3, Bengal didn’t lose a wicket until the 15th over of the day, but once captain Manoj Tiwary (50) and Wriddhiman Saha (0) fell in quick succession, things went downhill for them in no time. From 132 for 3, they slipped to 172 for 7, and they were eventually bowled out for 207, conceding a 292-run first-innings lead.
Offspinner Akshay Wakhare picked up three wickets, while seamers Rajneesh Gurbani and Lalit Yadav finished with two apiece. Following on, Bengal were in early trouble as they slipped to 10 for 3. Lalit struck three times in the space of two overs to remove Abhishek Raman, Abhimanyu Easwaran and Koushik Ghosh. There was some damage control done, however, by Sudip Chatterjee (40*) and Tiwary (36*) who ensured Bengal didn’t suffer any more jolts, moving them to 86 for 3 by stumps. They still trail Vidarbha by 206.
A last-wicket stand of 27 between Keenan Vaz (70, 167b, 7×4) and Heramb Parab helped Goa secure a slender seven-run lead against Services at the Palam ground. At stumps, Services were 108 for 3 in their second innings.
In the morning, resuming their first innings at 150 for 6 in reply to Services’ 263, Goa looked like they would concede the first-innings advantage when they slipped to 193 for 8. It was thanks largely to Vaz and overnight batsman Amogh Desai (52) that Goa eventually edged past Services. Vaz added 50 for the ninth wicket with Felix Alemao before the seamer Sachidanand Pandey – who would finish with five wickets – dismissed the latter. Vaz and Parab eventually ensured Goa achieved the lead.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo