PANAJI
Bottom-placed Goa in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group A after the first two rounds, looked to address their batting woes by bringing in an extra batter for a bowler. But that hardly mattered, when the visitors were put in to bat by hosts Vidarbha on Day 1 in a third-round clash at the VCA Jamtha Stadium, Nagpur on Monday.
Goa were struggling at 204-8 at stumps with the promising young all-rounder, Yash Kasvankar on a solid 51 (177b, 4x4) and Vasuki Kaushik on 4.
Two overs into the morning session, the visitors lost both their openers – Shivendra Bhujbal (0) and Suyash Prabhudessai (1) by the second over. In the doldrums at 84-6 after 40 overs, Goa had the last recognized batting pair, in allrounders, the talented Yash Kasvankar and seasoned Darshan Misal to bank on for a partnership of substance.
And the duo’s temperament and skill to overcome the adversities resulted in steadying the ship. But against the run of play, Misal was deceived by the guile of Slow Left arm Orthodox Parth Rekhade and was stumped on 51 (108b, 5x4, 1x6). Along with Kasvankar on 43, Misal had forged an invaluable 104-run stand from 248 deliveries for the seventh wicket. Goa stumbled further with pacer Rajneesh Gurbani claiming Ruthvik Naik leg before for 6.
Right arm Medium Nachiket Bhute was the pick of the Vidarbha bowlers with returns of 4-40 from his 18 overs.
Goa brought in an extra batter with Manthan Khutkar replacing Slow Left arm Orthodox, Amulya Pandrekar.
BRIEF SCORES
Goa, 1st innings: 204-8 in 86 overs (Yash Kasvankar 51*, Darshan Misal 51, Nachiket Bhute 4-40)
