Bhubaneswar/Vizianagaram: Odisha was saved from a humiliating innings defeat against Andhra as it’s second game of the Ranji season ended in a draw today, thanks to Biplab Samantaray’s sensible batting performance in both innings. Andhra got three points by taking the lead in the first innings while Odisha collected only one point from the match.
Winning the toss and batting first, home team Andhra scored mammoth 584/5 in the first innings with the help of a triple hundred by skipper Hanuma Vihari (302*) and centuries by DB Prashanth Kumar (127) and Ricky Bhui (100). For Odisha, Suryakanta Pradhan took two wickets while Basant Mohanty, Govinda Poddar and Dhiraj Singh scalped one each.
In reply, Odisha started off miserably by losing the wickets of Natraj Behera (4) and Sandeep Patnaik (21) early in the innings. Skipper Govinda Poddar and Subhranshu Senapati tried their level best to consolidate with scores of 111 and 91 respectively but didn’t get any support from other batters apart from experienced Biplab Samantaray (72). For the hosts, Bharghav Bhatt and Ravi Teja picked up four and three wickets respectively to restrict Odisha for 391.
Following on, Odisha performed even worse than the first innings. Biplab Samanatary fought a lone battle scoring 62* to save the game for the visitors. Bharghav Bhatt wreaked havoc in the second innings by pocketing four wickets again. At the end of play, Odisha scored 152/7 in the second innings.
Hanuma Vihari was adjudged Man of the Match for his triple hundred.
Prior to this game, Odisha collected only one point from the first game against Tripura which was marred by rain. With only a couple of points from as many games, Odisha is at fifth position of the Group C points table.
The Govinda Poddar-led team will play their next game against Mumbai at KIIT Cricket Stadium, Bhubaneswar from November 1.