BASIL SYLVESTER PINTO
PANAJI
Shrugging off indifferent form this season, Services captain Rajat Paliwal came good when it mattered most to structure a well-compiled 94 (185b, 292m, 11x4) to help his side overcome a 75-run first innings deficit and guide the visitors to a 202-run lead over Goa with five wickets in hand at draw of stumps on the penultimate day of the ongoing Rd V Elite Group C Ranji match at Porvorim on Saturday.
When stumps were taken on Day 3, Services were safely placed at 277/5 in 85 overs with Rahul Singh Gahlaut on a doughty unbeaten 81 (144b, 10x4) with Nitin Tanwar for company on 15 (38b, 1x6).
Earlier in the day, Goa folded their innings on the second delivery of the morning with centurion Darshan Misal (101) nicking a good length ball to be caught behind at the overnight team score of 259. His partner, Vijesh Prabhudesai had played out nine dot balls without opening his account. With the last Goa wicket, Services new ball bowler, Diwesh Pathania finished with a fifer (5/74) in the innings after laboring to his 32nd over to be rewarded with impressive returns. With the five-wicket haul, Pathania continued an impressive season showing to scalp 24 wickets in nine innings as of Saturday.
In their second essay, Services were in all sorts of early trouble with the Goa new-ball pair of Lakshay Garg and Vijesh Prabhudesai bowling effectively in the initial overs. They had early rewards claiming opener Aanshul Gupta found plumb on nought and one-down Ravi Chauhan guiding one to Amogh Desai at gully (5) respectively, to cut down the visitors to a plightful picture at 7/2 in the fourth over still trailing by 68 runs. It was left to the other opener Navneet Singh and captain, Rajat Paliwal to pull their side from the early rut by soaking in the early pressure, build on confidence with time spent at the wicket and gradually open up to their stroke play. Navneet determined to not fritter away a start again (23 in first innings) played solidly at one end while the seasoned skipper, Rajat Paliwal started slowly to eventually play his shots as he regained his old touch and confidence. The pair forged a 123-run stand for the third wicket that came from 227 balls with a 166-minute association at the wicket. While Navneet contributed 65 in 123 balls to the magnificent partnership, Paliwal played his part scoring 51 in 104 balls. Navneet’s dismissal at 130/3 in the 41st over was not before he crafted a solid 67 (130b, 6x4) before offering a return catch to the first-innings pace hero, Vijesh Prabhudesai that was gladly accepted. With the wicket easing out, tiring pacers and an ineffective spin duo of Amulya Pandrekar and Darshan Misal pressed into service, southpaw, Rahul Singh Gahlaut got into the groove almost immediately to compile an attractive unconquered 81 as he put on an exact 100-run fourth wicket partnership with the free-scoring Paliwal. As Services looked to take the match away from Goa, useful leggie Amit Verma struck twice in quick succession. Verma first ended the threatening Paliwal-Gahlaut stand with Services on 230 and having a 155-run lead in their 70th over. Their fourth wicket 100-run stand came in 175 deliveries with Gahlaut making 55 of 94 balls and Paliwal 43 of 81. The second consecutive century stand in the innings, both featuring Paliwal came to a timely halt for Goa when the Services captain on 94 tried to swing Verma over long off only to be caught in the region by Misal at 230/4 with the utility slow bowler doing the trick. Meanwhile as Gauhlaut held fort, another wicket fell soon after with an addition of only five runs with Verma snaring a clueless keeper, Devender Lohchab for no score and realizing Goa back alive in the contest. New man, Nitin Tanwar on 15 (38b, 1x6) along with Gahlaut (81*) saw the side to stumps with a healthy 202-run lead with an outright result hinging on the first session of the last day.
Brief Scores
Services 1st inns: 184 in 71.3 ov, RR: 2.57 (Ravi Chauhan 75; Vijesh Prabhudesai 5/52), Goa 1st inns: 259 in 100.2 ov, RR: 2.58 (Darshan Misal 101*, Lakshay Garg 50; Diwesh Pathania 5/74, Sachidanand Pandey 4/59), Services 2nd inns: 277/5 in 85 ov, RR: 3.26 (Rajat Paliwal 94, Rahul Singh Gahlaut 81*, Navneet Singh 67; Amit Verma 2/21, Vijesh Prabhudesai 2/52).
