Chandigarh finish on top

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 13

Chandigarh managed to gain a small but crucial four-run first innings lead against hosts Ludhiana on the second and final day of their Katoch Shield match on Thursday and added three points to their tally.

Chasing Ludhiana’s first innings total of 255, Chandigarh were batting on 259/5 at the close of the final day’s play. 

The play was delayed by over three hours due to overnight rain on Thursday but Shivam Bhambri and Arjit Singh ensured that the visitors stayed on course after they lost an early wicket. 

The duo added 83 runs for the second wicket before Arjit fell to Krishan Kumar on 47. Bhambri returned to the pavilion after scoring a sedate 66. 

Gaurav Puri and Raman Bishnoi then stitched an unbeaten 54-run partnership for the sixth wicket to take Chandigarh past the Ludhiana total. While Puri made a brisk 73, Bishnoi remained not on 26. 

Ropar fight back

Ropar put up a spirited batting display against fancied Patiala at Dhruv Pandove Stadium. Replying to Patiala’s first inning total of 367, the visitors notched up 283/6 on the final day. 

Patiala by virtue of their first innings lead of 84 runs garnered three points while Ropar got just one point. 

Ropar had a disastrous beginning as they lost Rohien Sangwan on just three runs. However, Ravikant and Nitin Kamboj batted sensibly and cobbled up a 57-run partnership for the second wicket before Gurvinder Bhullar struck for the hosts. Kamboj fell after scoring a fluent 41, which included eight hits to the fence boundaries. 

Ravikant then found a perfect foil in Inderpreet Singh and together they stretched the Ropar total past the 200-run mark.  

The 190-run partnership between the two ended when Inderpreet was caught by Bhullar off Tejpreet Singh on 99. Ravikant though held the other end up and completed his century before being dismissed by Parabhjot Singh on 113.

Mohali beat Nawanshahr

At IS Bindra PCA Stadium in Mohali, the hosts crushed Nawanshahr by an innings and 246 runs after skipper Gurkirat Mann blasted 155-ball 282 to give his side to a massive 404-run lead.   

Resuming the day at 214/2, Mohali, in response to Nawanshar’s first innings total of 195 runs, declared their innings closed at 599/5. Gurkirat, who was batting on 40 yesterday, sent the Nawanshahr attack on a leather hunt as he hammered 17 fours and 18 sixes during his stay in the middle and raked-up a 320-run fourth wicket partnership with Ramandeep Singh, who made a breezy 119 off 69 balls. 

Trailing Mohali by 404 runs, Nawanshahr in their second inning were bowled out for just 158 runs. Harpreet Brar, who had took six wickets in the first innings, picked 4/38 to complete a match haul of 10 wickets. Barinder Saran also claimed 4/35.