HP staring at innings defeat against Tripura

Tripura seamer Rana Dutta claimed a hat-trick en route to a career-best 6/58 as Himachal Pradesh were left staring at an innings defeat in their Ranji Trophy group C match at Bengal Cricket Academy ground here today.
Tripura skipper Manisankar Murasingh, who shone with the bat with 84 to take them to a huge 549, rocked Himachal Pradesh earlier this morning with his twin blows - Prashant Chopra (9) and Nikhil Gangta (17) - to reduce them to 74/2 in 23 overs.
Himachal Pradesh had three half centurions in Ankush Bains (67), Robin Bist (88) and skipper Rishi Dhawan (62) but none of them could convert their starts with Dutta giving regular breakthroughs to bowl them out for 311 in 97.2 overs, conceding a 238-run first-innings lead.

Following on, Himachal Pradesh were 19/1 at close on the penultimate day, still needing 219 runs to avoid an innings defeat.
Murasingh returned with 2/62 in the first innings and once again gave a breakthrough in Himachal Pradesh's second innings, dismissing Pankaj Jaiswal for eight in his first over.
At close, Bains was unbeaten on six, with Chopra yet to face a ball.