Kundu triggers Odisha collapse, Haryana bounce back

Left-arm spinner Tinu Kundu grabbed five wickets as Haryana staged a remarkable comeback to take an upper hand in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match against Odisha here on Sunday.

Haryana, who were bundled out for a paltry 90 after electing to bat, bowled out Odisha for 160 and then replied strongly in their second essay by posting 218 for five, taking an overall lead of 148 going into the penultimate day.

Overnight 141 for five, Odisha lost their remaining five wickets with the addition of just 19 runs inside nine overs this morning at the Chaudhary Bansi Lal Cricket Stadium in Lahli.

Kundu triggered the collapse by dismissing Sujit Lenka for 26, while skipper Harshal Patel (3/52) removed the set batsman Biplab Samantray (52) who got out immediately after scoring his half century.

Haryana batted sensibly in their second innings with openers Shubham Rohilla (48) and Ankit Kumar (46) putting up a 101-run stand. Himanshu Rana also contributed at number five before Pramod Chandila and Patel saw through the day.

At the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati, Assam replied strongly with 209 for three after Chhattisgarh posted 318 in their first innings, trailing the visitors by 109 runs with seven wickets intact.

Resuming on 276 for seven, Chhattisgarh got past the 300-run mark with Shashank Singh steering the lower middle order.

Ranjit Mali (4/80) gave the breakthrough and, along with Riyan Parag (3/60), he ran through the tail to wrap the visitors' first innings in 105.3 overs in the first session.

Assam overcame a shaky start after opener Rahul Hazarika was trapped lbw for one by Veer Pratap Singh, with Rishabv Das (99) and Gokul Sharma (50) taking the team forward in a 100-run partnership.

Number three Das was, however, unlucky to miss his second first-class hundred as he was dismissed by Sumit Ruikar in the nervous 99.

Thereafter, it was the skipper Gokul Sharma who led from the front with an unbeaten 50 with Assam's IPL recruit Riyan Parag at the crease on 24.

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