PANAJI
A classy unbeaten 150 by Gujarat mainstay and opener, Priyank Panchal, helped Gujarat reach a comfortable 281-5 trailing Goa by 36 runs in a seventh round Ranji Trophy Elite Group C clash at the Goa Cricket Association Academy in Porvorim on Saturday.
In the morning, Goa could only add another eight runs to their overnight total when Lakshay Garg fell to Gujarat captain and pacer Chintan Gaja for 6, taken by Siddharth Desai at mid wicket. His partner, Heramb Parab stayed unbeaten on 10.
In reply, Gujarat began watchfully with their openers, Priyank Panchal and Aditya Patel biding their time against the Goa new ball faster men while looking at ease on a benign wicket. Pacer, Heramb Parab put down a regulation chance in his follow through when Aditya on 12 played uppishly straight back to the bowler. But the drop did not cost Goa much when the batter, on 13 was run-out by Deepraj Gaonkar off his own bowling, with the visitors' score on 44. Calamity was to strike again the ensuing over, with one-down Sunpreet Bagga involved in a dreaded mix up with his partner, Panchal, and Suyash Prabhudessai at mid off running out the batter for a second ball nought. At 48- 2, Gujarat were in a spot of bother with Panchal looking for an ally to do a repair job. Keeper-batter Het Patel looked to fit the job description quite well, until he was undone by pacer Lakshay Garg on 18 to nick one behind as the visitors slipped to 75-3. A key moment in the match came against the run of play in the opening session, when Umang Rohitkumar took off for a quick run and his partner Panchal scrapping to reach the non-striker's end just in time, courtesy a fine Manthan Khutkar's direct hit from point. Panchal was then on 39, as Umang got off to a scratchy start. Lunch was taken with Gujarat at 81-3 with Panchal on a patient 43 and Umang on 1.
In the post lunch session, Goa toiled on and on with the Goa attack lacking any teeth or bite, both with pace and spin alike. The odd opportunity was not taken either with the keeper, K V Siddarth putting down an easy catch with Umang on 22 off medium pacer, Deepraj Gaonkar and Gujarat 119-3 in the 41st over. The Panchal-Umang pair went to tea unseparated with Panchal well-set on 88 (171b, 11x4, 2x6) and Umang on a solid 34 (77b, 5x4) as Gujarat progressed to 166-3.
Post lunch, the 33-year-old Panchal brought up a well-paced 27th First Class hundred in his 120th match with a cover drive boundary off pacer Heramb Parab. With the stroke, he also brought up an innings defining century stand with Umang. With Goa at the mercy of the well-set batters, a moment of indiscretion by Umang provided a window of opportunity for Goa to claw their way back into the game. Umang on 37, after doing all the hard work, played a needless reverse sweep off Goa captain and Slow Left arm Orthodox Misal to be cleaned up. The Panchal-Umang fourth wicket stand raised 109 runs from 200 balls. Southpaw Manan Hingrajia who looked unsettled in his brief stay, played a few shots until Right arm Offbreak Mohit Redkar had him castled for 17 and left the visitors at a tricky 214-5.
As a tactical ploy, with an offbreak bowler in operation who has a tendency to get the better of left handed batters more often than not, Ravi Bishnoi was promoted ahead of southpaw Siddharth Desai. From the outset, Bishnoi looked to distract the slower bowlers into finding any rhythm by employing sweeps and reverse sweeps but failed to connect any. He gradually grew into confidence after riding the initial luck, by playing the odd big shot with a touch of disdain and middling the ball for the ones and twos as his partner Panchal flayed the Goa attack into submission.
At close of play, Gujarat were sitting at a healthy 281-5 in 79 overs with Panchal on a spectacular 150 (247b, 376m, 15x4, 4x6) and Ravi Bishnoi on a promising 30 with a boundary and a six. The Panchal-Bishnoi unbroken sixth wicket stand of 67 (86b, 64m) ensured Gujarat go to stumps the happier side, trailing by 36 runs and with five wickets still in the bank.
>Goa, 1st innings. 317 in 84.2 overs (Darshan Misal 89, Mohit Redkar 80; Chintan Gaja 3-56) vs Gujarat, 1st innings. 281-5 in 79 overs (Priyank Panchal 150*)
