PANAJI
Double strikes by left-arm pace bowler Arjun Tendulkar and off-spinner Mohit Redkar, both on First Class debut, ensured Goa take the initiative in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group C clash against Rajasthan at the Academy ground in Porvorim on Thursday.
At the end of the third day's play, Rajasthan were reduced to 245-6 in 71 overs with wicket-keeper Kunal Singh Rathore on 20 and Shubham Sharma on 2 at the crease. The visitors trail by 302 runs and need a further 153 runs to avert follow-on.
Earlier in the day, Lakshay Garg strode out to the crease to join Mohit Redkar and forged a rollicking 54 run-stand in 10.4 overs before Redkar 28 (38b, 3x4,2x6) was the ninth wicket to fall at 547-9 (174 overs). Goa immediately declared their first innings with Garg unbeaten on 25 (27b, 4x4). For Rajasthan, Arafat Khan picked up three wickets.
In reply, the visitors began well and scored runs at will on a wicket that offered barely anything to bowlers. Rajasthan openers Yash Kothari and Abhijeet Tomar put on 24 runs in no time until an unfortunate run-out led to Tomar's dismissal at an individual score of 9. Rajasthan mainstay, Mahipal Lomror, from the moment he came in to bat, looked at ease while his partner, Kothari was in ominous touch against a clueless Goa attack. Rajasthan went to lunch comfortably placed at 95-1 in 19 overs with Kothari on 55 and Lomror on 29.
The pair raised a second-wicket association of 128 runs when Kothari set for a 100 fell rather tamely on 96 (93b, 17x4, 1x6) to the guiles of Redkar at mid-wicket where substitute Deepraj Gaonkar happily accepted the catch. With a mammoth first innings score to overhaul, Lomror thought to have found an able ally in Salman Khan to rebuild their innings. The visitors were going along well and at tea were 190-2 in 49 overs with Lomor well-set on 53 and Salman on a confident 29.
But fortunes were to soon change. Tendulkar, in his third spell, was fiery and probing on most occasions. He scalped his maiden First Class wicket with a fine pacy delivery that found Lomror 63 (156b, 8x4, 1x6) edging the ball to Goa wicketkeeper Eknath Kerkar and Rajasthan slipped to 206-3 at the start of the 57th over. Meanwhile, from the Clubhouse end, Redkar was entangling the batsmen in a web of spin.
The match was in the balance for the all-important first innings lead. But Arjun had other plans. He did not let up on his steam and soon had the well-set Salman Khan caught behind on 40 (94b, 5x4). Arjun's two-wicket fortune-swinging burst came within 21 deliveries of his new spell, and 39 deliveries of the innings.
Rajasthan were now 223-4 with two new men, captain Ashok Menaria and Kamlesh Nagarkoti at the crease and the debuting pace-spin duo complementing each other admirably well. Redkar soon joined in the party having the Rajasthan skipper stumped on 12 and Nagarkoti bowled on no score. The visitors' last three wickets in the day fell in a heap at the score of 223. Off-spinner Redkar was the pick of the Goa bowlers with 3-46.
