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Uttar Pradesh bowlers shatter Assam’s dream
Overnight rain, black clouds and fog hovering over the NFR Sports Stadium in Maligaon forced players to keep a watch on the weather, reports Sharad Deep.
Overnight rain, black clouds and fog hovering over the NFR Sports Stadium in Maligaon forced players to keep a watch on the weather.
But it was UP’s bowlers who shattered Assam’s dreams, bowling the hosts out for only 149. UP managed a crucial 64-run first-innings lead and took the edge.
Since there was no need to press for an outright win, UP coasted to 25 for no loss from nine overs with Tanmay Srivastava (14) and Shivakant Shukla (2) at the crease when bad light stopped play.
There were worried faces in the UP camp on Friday morning as a session was lost to overnight rain and poor visibility. When play resumed, with Assam on 17 for one, RP Singh struck in the third over of the day, having Parviz Aziz caught at slip. This wicket further dented Assam’s batting, which was already without opener Dheeraj Jadhav, who twisted his ankle while fielding.
Wickets fell at regular intervals but skipper Amol Muzumdar stood like a rock after surviving a chance on 11. Muzumdar was rarely challenged and never looked in any hurry, despatching loose deliveries to the fence, scoring a season-best 53 in 132 balls.
Even reeling at 100 for six there was a slim chance for Assam to achieve a lead. But Muzumdar’s dismissal, run out attempting a suicidal single in the 50th over, left the side in deep trouble.
Tailenders Abu Nachim Ahmed (24*) and Arien Konwar (12) tried to lash out but only delayed the inevitable as Chawla had Konwar stumped while RP uprooted last man Ranjit Mali’s middle stump to end Assam’s innings.
Orthodox spinner Praveen Gupta was the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of 8-4-9-2.
Srivastav and Shukla extended UP’s lead to 89 when stumps were finally drawn.
