PANAJI
Goa are in real danger of finishing at the bottom of Group D after their innings and 37-run loss to Vidarbha in Ranji Trophy, at GCA Academy ground, Porvorim, on Monday.
The hosts were pushed to the foot of the table, remaining stuck on five points; after Services beat Chhattisgarh by an innings and nine runs in Raipur to take their points tally to nine from five games. Vidarbha became the first team to qualify for the quarter-finals from the group with 28 points from five matches. Goa's final match
will be against second-placed Bengal, from Saturday in Kolkata, while Services play third-placed Punjab. Two teams qualify from each group, for the last-eight stage.
Goa were all out for 151 runs in their second innings in an extended morning session, after Vidarbha had declared at 427/3 on Sunday evening and reduced the hosts to 19/2. Trailing by 169 runs, the hosts were looking for inspiration to keep Vidarbha at bay, but were rocked by left-arm spinner Aditya Sarvate when he got the wicket of only Goan batsman to reach the 10 thousand-run milestone, Swapnil Asnodkar, LBW for 9 with the hosts reeling at 23/3.
Off-spinner Akshay Wakhare, who is 32-year-old and is being watched by NCA director Dilip Vengsarkar, then took the centre stage as he dismissed Amogh Desai (1) and captain Darshan Misal (0), at the team total of 24 runs. The other overnight batsman Vedant Naik put up some resistance, making 28 runs; while wicket-keeper Keenan Vaz scored 16 runs.
The top-scorer for Goa, however, was Snehal Kauthankar, who made 56 runs off 101 deliveries that included 10 boundaries. The 22-year-old right-handed middle-order batsman came up with an innings worth a note after being dismissed for 0 against Services in New Delhi in the last game and 0 in the first innings against Vidarbha.
Snehal had missed the first three matches of the season as he recovered from a shoulder operation. He was the last man to be dismissed as Goa's innings folded up at 151 runs in 53.3 overs as the designated lunch break was pushed back. The highest partnership of the inning was worth 39 runs between Snehal and No 11-batsman Heramb Parab (12 not out).
Wakhare was the wrecker-in-chief, picking up five wickets for 54 runs. He had also claimed four wickets in the first innings. Sarvate picked up five wickets in the match. Wakhare was named the Man-of-the match.
Goa are now in danger of their worst Ranji Trophy finish in recent times. They had finished sixth in the 10-team Group C with 18 points from nine matches in 2016-17 season despite playing all their matches away from home. Goa were sixth even in 2015-16 season, finishing above Jammu & Kashmir, Hyderabad and Tripura.
Goa coach Prakash Mayekar is at loss of words to explain the State's sinking standard in Ranji cricket. Nevertheless, he takes heart from the fact that some of the younger players do have talent and need time to mature. He, however, rues the fact that the bench strength is not growing.
Goa were all out for 151 runs in their second innings in an extended morning session, after Vidarbha had declared at 427/3 on Sunday evening and reduced the hosts to 19/2. Trailing by 169 runs, the hosts were looking for inspiration to keep Vidarbha at bay, but were rocked by left-arm spinner Aditya Sarvate when he got the wicket of only Goan batsman to reach the 10 thousand-run milestone, Swapnil Asnodkar, LBW for 9 with the hosts reeling at 23/3.
Off-spinner Akshay Wakhare, who is 32-year-old and is being watched by NCA director Dilip Vengsarkar, then took the centre stage as he dismissed Amogh Desai (1) and captain Darshan Misal (0), at the team total of 24 runs. The other overnight batsman Vedant Naik put up some resistance, making 28 runs; while wicket-keeper Keenan Vaz scored 16 runs.
The top-scorer for Goa, however, was Snehal Kauthankar, who made 56 runs off 101 deliveries that included 10 boundaries. The 22-year-old right-handed middle-order batsman came up with an innings worth a note after being dismissed for 0 against Services in New Delhi in the last game and 0 in the first innings against Vidarbha.
Snehal had missed the first three matches of the season as he recovered from a shoulder operation. He was the last man to be dismissed as Goa's innings folded up at 151 runs in 53.3 overs as the designated lunch break was pushed back. The highest partnership of the inning was worth 39 runs between Snehal and No 11-batsman Heramb Parab (12 not out).
Wakhare was the wrecker-in-chief, picking up five wickets for 54 runs. He had also claimed four wickets in the first innings. Sarvate picked up five wickets in the match. Wakhare was named the Man-of-the match.
Goa are now in danger of their worst Ranji Trophy finish in recent times. They had finished sixth in the 10-team Group C with 18 points from nine matches in 2016-17 season despite playing all their matches away from home. Goa were sixth even in 2015-16 season, finishing above Jammu & Kashmir, Hyderabad and Tripura.
Goa coach Prakash Mayekar is at loss of words to explain the State's sinking standard in Ranji cricket. Nevertheless, he takes heart from the fact that some of the younger players do have talent and need time to mature. He, however, rues the fact that the bench strength is not growing.
