A sporting wicket spices things up. Like the one at the Rural Development Trust Stadium’s main ground.
The second day of the Duleep Trophy match between India-A and India-C proved as interesting as the first. At the end of it, India-C was 216 for seven in its innings, replying to India-A’s 297.
But for a fine innings from Abishek Porel 82 (113b, 9×4), India-C’s deficit would have been bigger. He played strokes around the park until he decided to step out against Shams Mulani, only to sky a catch towards mid-off.
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It was his fifth-wicket stand with Baba Indrajith that steadied the innings – from 41 for four. When their partnership was worth 86, Indrajith, who was batting on 34 (61b, 5×4), got injured while going for a run and had to retire hurt.
For India A, 20-year-old seamer Aaqib Khan derailed India-C’s innings, taking two wickets with his first two balls.
He had Ruturaj Gaikwad edging to the ‘keeper Kumar Kushagra with a ball that moved slightly away and then getting one to dart in and uprooting Rajat Patidar’s off-stump.
Earlier, India-A resumed the day at 224 for seven. Centurion Shashwat Rawat’s hopes of a bigger hundred were dashed by Vyshak Vijayakumar, who knocked off the left-hander’s off stump with a fuller delivery that shaped away a little.
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The Karnataka impressed with a spell of four for 51.
The eighth-wicket stand between Rawat (124, 250b, 15×4) and Avesh Khan (51 not out, 68b, 5×4, 4×6) raised 90, the highest of the innings. The pacer also put on 42 for the ninth wicket with Prasidh Krishna (34, 39b, 7×4).
He seemed to enjoy his batting, scoring his second fifty in First Class cricket, off 67 balls, with a six off Gaurav Yadav over long-on.