PANAJI
A monumental 163 runs first-wicket stand between AG Tiwary (86) and Shashank Chandrakar (101) placed Chhattisgarh in a good position at 273-4 in 88 overs at close of play on the opening day of their seventh round Ranji Trophy Elite 'C' Group fixture against Goa at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur on Tuesday.Electing to bat, the hosts openers - Tiwary and Chandrakar complemented each other well as they raised 163 runs in 272 balls on a good batting surface. Goa led by Right arm Medium, Vijesh Prabhudessai pulled back things with breakthroughs of both the well-set batsmen in the middle session.
At 227-2, a settled Ashutosh Singh on 33 found an ally in his captain Harpreet Singh Bhatia. The Ashutosh- Bhatia pair took the hosts forward with a 64 runs third-wicket alliance. Ashutosh was trapped in front by pacer Lakshay Garg after compiling a well-made 55. Shubham Agrawal (1) failed to get going as he was the other wicket to fall for Chhattisgarh against the run of play as Goa captain and Slow Left arm Medium, Darshan Misal had his number. At stumps, Bhatia on 22 and Amandeep Khare on nought were at the crease.
Speaking to The Goan at the end of day's play, Goa Head Coach Mansur Ali Khan sounded optimistic. "It was a good batting track which India and New Zealand played on very recently. In the first session they scored 115 runs, but we came back strongly in the next two sessions with Vijesh and Darshan pulling back things. Hopefully, we can restrict them tomorrow and apply ourselves with the bat playing good cricket," the Goa gaffer stated.
SCORES
Chhattisgarh 1st inns 273-4 in 88 ov ( Shashank Chandrakar 101, AG Tiwary 86, Vijesh Prabhudessai 2-52)
