Povorim (Goa), Dec 16 (PTI) Goa and Rajasthan split points in their Ranji Trophy Group C encounter after the match ended in a tame draw, with both sides managing to complete just one innings each in the four-day contest.
Replying to Goa’s mammoth 547 for nine declared, built on a double-century from Suyash Prabhudessai (212) and a century from Arjun Tendulkar (120), Rajasthan virtually batted the entire third and fourth day for their 456 as the match meandered aimlessly at the Goa Cricket Association ground here on Friday.
There was hope for Goa at stumps on day three when they reduced their opponents to 245 for six. But after two breakthroughs coming early on Friday, late-order batters Arafat Khan (80 not out) and Manav Sutar (48) dropped anchor and all hopes of enforcing a follow-on faded.
Rajasthan’s overnight batters Kunal Singh Rathore and Shubham Sharma, who were on 20 and 2 respectively, finally departed on 31 and 29. But Arafat, a pace bowler, scored an unbeaten 80 — his highest first-class score — as Goa bowlers toiled all day without much success.
Arafat, who had the best bowling figures for Rajasthan in the first innings (3/105), first steadied the innings at the fall of two quick wickets and then forged fruitful partnerships with first Sutar and then Aniket Choudhary (38), before the latter’s stint came to an end, clean bowled by Tendulkar.
Tendulkar finished the match with 120 runs and bowling figures of 3/104. though young Goa off-spinner Mohit Redkar was the most successful bowler for the side with figures of 5/113 off 47 overs.
Suyash Prabhudessai was declared ‘Player of the Match’ for his double century, which along with Tendulkar’s century was the highlight of the Goa innings.
Brief scores: At Povorim: Goa 547 for 9 decl draw with Rajasthan 456 in 133.1 overs (Yash Kothari 96, Mahipal Lomror 63, Manav Sutar 48, Arafat Khan 80 not out; Arjun Tendulkar 3/104, Mohit Redkar 5/113). Goa 3 points. Rajasthan 3 points.
Kerala 475 and 187 for 7 decl in 36 overs beat Jharkhand 340 and 237 in 61.2 overs (Kumar Kushagra 92; Jalaj Saxena 4/56, Vaisakh Chandran 5/57) by 85 runs. Kerala 6 points. Jharkhand Nil.
Karnataka 304 and 253 for 4 decl in 56 overs (Ravikumar Samarth 119 not out, Mayank Agarwal 73) draw with Services 261 and 150 for 3 in 39 overs (Ravi Chauhan 66 not out, Anshul Gupta 71 not out). Karnataka 3 points. Services 3 points.
Source: PTI News
