PANAJI
Railways' Slow Left arm Orthodox Akash Pandey on back of a sterling 5-fer in each innings against Karnataka, continued his fine showing for his side by scything through the hapless Goa lineup with impressive returns of 4-62, as medium pacer Adarsh Singh played his part by mopping the lower order with 4-49 in a sixth round Ranji Trophy Elite Group C clash at the Lalbhai Contractor Stadium in Surat on Saturday.
Earlier, resuming at 293-9 in their first essay, Railways could add only another four runs to their score after Himanshu Sangwan who outside edged Goa pacer Heramb Parab to the boundary, departed shortly after trapped leg before by the same bowler.
In reply, Goa got off to a disastrous start losing their campaign's highest run getter, Suyash Prabhudessai for nought in the very first over off speedster, Yuvraj Singh. Suyash who lunged forward in defense found the delivery taking the outside edge of his bat to Mohammad Saif at second slip. With recalled veteran batter, Amogh Desai and southpaw, Manthan Khutkar, woefully short of runs at the crease, the visitors were already facing an uphill task.
Amogh though never looked like he was away from the side as from word go he looked in ominous touch. On his very first delivery, he struck a boundary off Yuvraj though not as unconvincingly but eased into his innings with every subsequent stroke. While runs eloquently flowed from his blade, Manthan stonewalled at the other end. Amogh was particularly severe on pacer Himanshu Sangwan, manufacturing six glorious boundaries that came from successive overs off the bowler, early in the piece. While Amogh's flicks and shots on the rise were lapped up, the cover drive to the hustings stood out as he raced to 30 in only 14 deliveries with seven boundaries.
As Sangwan was taken off the attack, Amogh knuckled down and appeared intent to take the innings deep. With the introduction of spin and the incisive Akash Pandey, a noose seemed to be hanging in the air for Goa batters. Manthan after a watchful 62-ball 10 was deceived by an Akash arm ball that straightened after pitching and he was trapped in front.
This ended a promising 55-run second partnership which remained the highest in the innings. Meanwhile, Amogh Desai who had dropped anchor reached his 14th Ranji half century with a single off the wily Akash shortly before lunch. Goa had reached 75-2 in 29 overs at lunch with Amogh on 50 in 88 balls and Snehal Kauthankar on 11.
Post lunch, things began to unfold for the worse for the visitors with Akash in full cry with his mastery of spin and guile. Kauthankar on 16 tried to clear mid on, but misread the line to nick one to Saif at slips as Akash claimed his second victim. Amogh who held the side together was next to go. After compiling a well-made 61 (134b, 10x4), he edged a catch to the slips off Akash. At 110-4 in the 46th over, matters quickly went off hand for Goa as the side were unable to forge any substantial stand to eventually be bundled out for 200 in 68.2 overs. Middle order batter, KV Siddarth who made a gritty 32 off 85 balls and Mohit Redkar with a 26-ball 35 cameo down the order were the only other batters with some saving grace.
With a sizeable 97 runs first innings lead and on an already wearing surface, Railways were firmly perched in the driver's seat. In the 11 overs Railways had to negotiate in their second innings to stumps, their openers, Vivek Singh on 16 and Suraj Ahuja on 14 stood rock-solid as they ended the day 31 for no loss with an extended lead of 128 runs.
BRIEF SCORE
Railways, 1st innings. 297 in 90.5 overs (Upendra Yadav 91, Suraj Ahuja 81; Deepraj Gaonkar 3-26) & 31-0 in 11 overs vs Goa, 1st innings. 200 in 68.2 overs (Amogh Desai 61; Adarsh Singh 4-49, Akash Pandey 4-62)
