Gaurav Puri's ton helps Chandigarh take lead over Railways on Day 3

Advertisement

Chandigarh, January 19

After skipper’s century, middle-order batsman Gaurav Puri came up with an unbeaten ton to help Chandigarh claim a 99-run lead over Railways on Day 3 of the ongoing Ranji Trophy match at the Sector 16 Cricket Stadium here today. Puri posted unbeaten 102 off 174 balls, with eight boundaries and one six, to help the hosts score 485/8 at the draw of stumps.

Overnight unbeaten Manan Vohra and Kunal Mahajan started the day for Chandigarh. The duo started from 212/2 and added 26 runs to the total before Mahajan was caught by Yuvraj off SS Jadhav. He scored 83 off 137 balls, with 14 boundaries, and was involved in a 178-run partnership with the skipper. Thereafter, Ankit Kaushik joined Vohra, but the pair raised a 15-run partnership. Vohra was run out by Upendra Yadav on 126 off 214 balls, with 17 boundaries. Puri later held the crease and joined Kaushik.

However, Himanshu Sangwan accounted for Kaushik (27 off 65 balls, with two boundaries and one six) and Gaurav Gambhir (8) to reduce the side to 291/6. Puri, thereafter, found an able partner as Gurinder Singh joined him at the crease. The duo raised another important partnership of 79 runs for the 7th wicket to take the team’s total to 370 runs.

Jadhav once again pulled out Railways from trouble as he claimed Gurinder (42 off 89 balls, with seven boundaries). Karn Sharma accounted for Sandeep Sharma (11) to reduce the side to 396/6.

However, Shreshth Nirmohi and Puri stunned everyone by raising an unbeaten 89-run partnership for the 9th wicket. Nirmohi scored unbeaten 52 off 69 balls, studded with nine boundaries, along with unbeaten Puri. The hosts claimed a 99-run lead at the draw of stumps. Sangwan claimed 3/64, while Jadhav accounted for 2/71. Akash Pandey and Sharma took one wicket each for the bowling side.