Chandigarh hold edge on Day 1

Tribune News Service

Advertisement

mohali, July 2 

Arpit Pannu claimed a fifer as Chandigarh restricted Jalandhar to 155 runs in the first innings of their Punjab U-23 Inter-district Championship final at the PCA Stadium here today.     

At the close of the opening day’s play, Chandigarh slightly held the edge as they reduced the deficit by 80 runs. However, the lost of four wickets would have certainly given the side some anxious moments.     

Earlier, opting to bat first, Jalandhar made a steady start to their innings with Arjun Verma and skipper Mansab Gill putting up 64 runs for the opening wicket.  

The duo was separated in the 28th over, when the skipper was caught by Talwinder Singh off left-arm spinner Raman Bishnoi for 39. 

Verma did not last long and returned to the hut a few minutes later. He was snapped by wicketkeeper Arjit Pannu off Raman Bishnoi for 25.  

Verma’s dismissal triggered a middle-order collapse as Jalandhar slumped to 96/5 in 49.5 overs.   

Their fortunes were dented further when off spinner Arpit Pannu removed Rajat Sharma (1), Himanshu Sharma (18), Sahil Lal (5) and Jasbir Singh (30 in quick succession. 

Struggling at 122/8, Jalandhar were pushed across the 150-mark by Manpreet Bhullar and wicketkeeper batsman Parth Aggarwal. 

The two stitched a vital 31-run partnership for the ninth wicket before Jalandhar folded up their innings at 155. Aggarwal remained unbeaten on 29, while Bhullar contributed nine runs to the total. 

Arpit Pannu was the pick of the bowlers for Chandigarh, claiming 5/59. Raman Bishnoi returned with figures of 3/13, while Jagjit Sandhu (1/27) and Bagmender Lathar (1/47) grabbed a wicket each.  

Chandigarh, in reply, lost two wickets for just 20 runs. Opener Shivam Bhambri was the first to go, caught by wicketkeeper Parth Aggarwal off Gaurav Chaudhary for 6. 

Karan Azad (2), who walked in at the fall of Bhambri’s wicket, made a hasty retreat as he hold out to Arjun Verma  to provide Manpreet Bhullar his first wicket f the day. 

Opener Jasnoor Pannu and Bhagmender Lather tried to put the side back on track before a blooming partnership between them was cut short by Chaudhary. Bhagmender fell to his impetuosity, caught in front of wickets after smashing 24 runs of 28 balls.     

Jasnoor was the last wicket to fell in the day, nudging left arm spinner Prerit Dutta right into Parth Aggarwal’s gloves after a sedate 83-ball 30. Chandigarh finally ended the day at 80/4 in 30 overs.

For Jalandar, Gaurav Chaudhary claimed 2/30, while Prerit Dutta (1/12) and Manpreet Bhullar (1/22) took a wicket each. 

Meanwhile, former Test cricketer Yashpal Sharma and chairman of the Punjab senior selection committee Bhupinder Singh Junior, besides Balbir Singh and Harjinder Singh were present in the stadium during the opening day’s play.