Suyash Prabhudessai swept and reverse-swept his way to his fifth first-class century (104, 192b, 17x4) before Goa lost its last five wickets for just eight runs to be bowled out for 241 against Tamil Nadu on day one of the elite Group-C match in the fifth round of the Ranji Trophy at the Goa Cricket Association (GCA) Academy ground in Porvorim on February 2.
Opting to bat, Goa lost its opener Ishaan Gadekar, to Sandeep Warrier, off the third ball of the match.
Manthan Khutkar’s dismissal was nicely set up. Warrier, bowling shorter from over the wicket, had a short leg and captain Sai Kishore at short cover for the last two balls of the ninth over. In the first ball of his next over, Warrier switched to bowl from around the wicket to have Khutkar spoon a catch to Sai Kishore.
One striking aspect of Prabhudessai’s innings was that he swept the spinners a lot. So much so, he played at least one sweep in every over that any spinner bowled! In Sai Kishore’s second over of the day, he reverse-swept twice above the slip for back-to-back fours, and swept for four a ball later.
In the 70th over, post-lunch, he swept four times off Sai Kishore. Ironically, he missed his sweep to be dismissed leg before off Ajith Ram.
He involved in an 144-run third-wicket partnership with Krishnamurthy Siddharth (69, 142b, 8x4, 2x6). Siddharth was dropped on 69 by Lokeshwar at long on off Ajith Ram, who eventually had him lbw.
Goa captain Darshan Misal was dropped on 17 by Pradosh Ranjan Paul at second slip off Sandeep Warrier.
Goa was awarded five penalty runs as a Tamil Nadu fielder’s throw hit the helmet placed at the wicketkeeper’s end.
Arjun Tendulkar dismissed Tamil Nadu opener and Ranji Trophy debutant S. Lokeshwar off a no-ball on the first ball of the second innings. He was cock-a-hoop, only to be disappointed.
The scores (elite, fifth round):
Group-C (day one): Goa - 1st innings: Suyash Prabhudessai lbw b Ajith 104, Ishaan Gadekar lbw b Warrier 0, Manthan Khutkar c Sai Kishore b Warrier 4, Krishnamurthy Siddharth lbw b Ajith 69, Darshan Misal c Jagadeesan b Sai Kishore 21, Deepraj Gaonkar c Indrajith b Sai Kishore 17, Arjun Tendulkar run out (sub) Vimal 1, Samar Dubhashi (not out) 3, Mohit Redkar c Mohammed b Ajith 2, Lakshay Garg st Jagadeesan b Sai Kishore 2, Heramb Parab b Sai Kishore 0; Extras (b-5, lb-6, w-2, pen-5): 18; Total (in 75.5 overs): 241.
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-6, 3-157, 4-205, 5-233, 6-233, 7-234, 8-238, 9-241, 10-241.
Tamil Nadu bowling: Warrier 17-6-45-2, Kuldeep Sen 10-2-30-0, Sai Kishore 21.5-3-73-4, M. Mohammed 9-1-31-0, Ajith Ram 18-3-46-3.
Tamil Nadu - 1st innings: Suresh Lokeshwar (not out) 15, Narayan Jagadeesan (not out) 3; Extras (nb-2): 2; Total (in 7 overs): 20 for no loss.
Goa bowling: Arjun Tendulkar 4-0-19-0, Heramb Parab 3-2-1-0.
