Parida (159 n.o) helps Orissa fightback

By Our Sports Reporter

GWALIOR, MARCH 24. Rashmi Ranjan Parida batted through the day scoring an unbeaten 159 as Orissa came back strongly in its chase for the first-innings lead over Madhya Pradesh on the third day of the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal here on Saturday.

Parida's two useful partnerships, with captain Sanjay Raul and all-rounder Pravanjan Mullick, brought Orissa within 69 runs of gaining the crucial lead after it had looked hopelessly placed at one stage.

Orissa's `Mr. Consistent', Parida, guided his team to 369 for five in reply to Madhya Pradesh's first innings total of 437. Parida's 220 against Jammu and Kashmir in the pre- quarterfinal match in Cuttack is the highest score of his career.

Parida survived just one chance when on 79 and from then on, he never looked back. The top order batsman had gone in the middle on Friday evening following opener Pradip Das' departure, and after witnessing two quick dismissals that somewhat tilted the match towards Madhya Pradesh, played like the man possessed striking 19 boundaries and one six in his 363-ball knock and 488 minutes stay at the wicket.

The Madhya Pradesh bowlers were clueless and all the tactics employed on the second afternoon by skipper Chandrakant Pandit failed to bear fruit as Parida and Raul (40) kept rotating the strike. Raul and Parida made sure Orissa had no hiccups in the first session as they went to lunch at 220 for three. Parida had just completed his century (103) and Raul was on 40.

The pre-lunch session had witnessed two dropped chances by Madhya Pradesh, Raul and Parida each getting a `life', and the home team rued the missed opportunities throughout the day as the runs came easy with wicket not helping the bowlers.

Madhya Pradesh got its first breakthrough of the day when Raul was adjudged leg before off J. P. Yadav in the first over after lunch, but Mullick played a cameo knock while Parida held one end intact. Fresh from his 191 against Jammu and Kashmir, Mullick blasted six fours and a six in his 51 runs off 78 balls helping Parida add a quick 90 for the fifth wicket.

A show of over-aggression cost Mullick his wicket as the rookie off-spinner Yogesh Golwalkar, playing his third Ranji match, lured the batsman out for wicket-keeper Ankit Srivastava to effect a stumping. Srivastava had missed a chance in the morning session to stump Parida off Rajesh Chauhan.

At 310 for five, Raul made a sensible decision by promoting experienced P. Jayachandra in the batting order in place of R. R. Das, and the all-rounder obliged his captain with an undefeated 35 runs, a partnership of 59 with Parida.

The scores:

Madhya Pradesh - 1st innings: 437.

Orissa - 1st innings: Suresh Kumar c Chauhan b Hirwani 35, Pradip Das lbw b Sodhi 10, Rashmi Ranjan Parida (batting) 159, Sanjay Satpathy c Chauhan b Hirwani 0, Sanjay Raul lbw b J. P. Yadav 40, Pravanjan Mullick st. Srivastava b Golwalkar 51, P. Jayachandra (batting) 35, Extras (b-7, lb-6, nb-22, w-4) 39, Total (for five wickets) 369.

Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-102, 3-103, 4- 220, 5-310.

Madhya Pradesh bowling: Harvinder Singh Sodhi 17-2-46-1, Devendra Bundela 11-1-28-0, J. P. Yadav 30-6-98- 1, Yogesh Golwalkar 15-3- 51-1, Rajesh Chauhan 19-4-40-0, Narendra Hirwani 35-10-87-2, Abbas Ali 1-0-6-0.

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