Ranji Trophy: Bowlers seal it for Tamil Nadus first victory of the season

Sharp bowling and fielding from P. Vidyuth (two for 46) and Nidhish Rajagopal (two for 9) stood out as Tamil Nadu bowled out Odisha for 247 to register its first win of the season, by 207 runs, on day four of their Elite Group-A sixth-round Ranji Trophy match at the KIIT Stadium here on Sunday.

Anil Parida was Odisha’s lone ranger, compiling a brave 98 (220b, 14×4).

The first session distilled into defiance versus desperation. Tamil Nadu probed and persisted, but the first breakthrough was elusive. Parida unfurled a pair of glorious cover drives off Gurjapneet Singh, the second a mirror of the first, despite the pacer switching ends and angles. At the other end, captain Subhranshu Senapati (55, 68b, 10×4) raised his fifty.

There were moments when Tamil Nadu felt close. Pacer Sonu Yadav slid one past Parida’s outside edge by a fraction; Subhranshu edged Sonu too, the ball sneaking between keeper and first slip. Relief finally arrived through brilliance in the field – Subhranshu pushed to mid-off for an ill-judged single, Vidyuth’s direct hit catching him short at the non-striker’s end.

Again, the waiting resumed. Govinda Poddar (27) drove pacer Trilok Nag crisp and straight, twice, while Parida rode his luck, edging left-arm spinner Vidyuth for boundaries off both the outside and inside edge. Eventually, Vidyuth found reward, castling Poddar.

Odisha’s resistance dissolved in the next session. Vidyuth cleaned up Biplab Samantaray (1), and Sambit Baral (1) holed out to long-on off Sai Kishore. Medium-pacer Nidhish Rajagopal took over from there – a spectacular diving caught-and-bowled to remove Rajesh Dhuper (7), and Debabrata Pradhan (0) playing on to his middle stump.

Victory was a mere formality that Tamil Nadu completed in the third session. Parida, who had weathered a barrage of short-pitched bowling from Trilok, edged to gully off Gurjapneet. Rajesh Mohanty (30) then top-edged his pull off Sonu, the keeper moving to his right to settle under the ball and pouch it.

The scores (sixth round): Elite-A: Tamil Nadu — 1st innings: 286.

Odisha — 1st innings: 148.

Tamil Nadu — 2nd innings: 316.

Odisha — 2nd innings: Swastik Samal c Sonu b Sai Kishore 10, Shantanu lbw b Sonu 0, Subhranshu Senapati run out 55, Anil Parida c Ajitesh b Gurjapneet 98, Govinda Poddar b Vidyuth 27, Biplab Samantaray b Vidyuth 1, Sambit Baral c Nidhish b Sai Kishore 1, Rajesh Dhuper c & b Nidhish 7, Debabrata Pradhan b Nidhish 0, Rajesh Mohanty .c Jagadeesan b Sonu 30, Badal Biswal (not out) 0; Extras (b-13, lb-1, nb-1, w-3): 18; Total (all out in 83.5 overs): 247.

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-47, 3-85, 4-143, 5-149, 6-158, 7-186, 8-190, 9-239, 10-247.

Tamil Nadu bowling: Gurjapneet 13-4-48-1, Sonu 12.5-2-39-2, Trilok 10-0-48-0, Vidyuth 21-9-46-2, Sai Kishore 24-8-43-2, Nidhish 3-0-9-2.

Points: TN 6 (11), Odisha 0 (7).