Gadekar, Kamat hit fifties for Goa but Maharashtra in control

Harshad Gadekar and Sagun Kamat scored a half-century each to take Goa to 297 for five in their first innings in reply to Maharashtra's mammoth 635 at the end of third and penultimate day's play in a a Group C match of the Ranji Trophy, here today.
While Gadekar was unbeaten on 86 off 294 balls with the help of 13 boundaries, Kamat made a fine 83 that came off 179 balls and was studded with eight hits to the fence and three sixes.
At stumps, wicket-keeper Keenan Vaz was giving Gadekar company at the crease with Goa still trailing Maharashtra by 338 runs with five wickets in hand.

Resuming at the overnight score of 73 for one, Goa lost Swapnil Asnodkar at the team score of 101.
Then Gadekar and Kamat joined hands and played cautiously to share 151 runs for the third-wicket partnership.
But Maharashtra bowlers picked up three wickets, including that of Kamat, towards the fag end of the day to put Goa in a spot of bother.

As the match stands now, Maharashtra are favourites to secure the vital first innings lead as Goa needs something sort of a miracle to overhaul the hosts' total.
Pace duo of Shrikant Mundhe (2/68) and Domnic Joseph (2/74) shared four wickets between them for Maharashtra.

Brief Scores:
Maharashtra 1st innings: 635 all out in 153.4 overs
Goa 1st innings: 297 for five in 116 overs (Harshad Gadekar 86 not out, Sagun Kamat 83; Shrikant Mundhe 2/68).