Five-wicket haul by Shrinivas

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, NOV. 25. First, Tamil Nadu paceman M.R. Shrinivas produced a lively, well-directed spell to come up with his first five-wicket haul in Ranji Trophy, and then opener S. Suresh struck the ball elegantly on both sides of the wicket to compile a strokeful half-century, yet it was a day when the Goans deserved a fair measure of credit for keeping their chin up on the field.

Indeed, having restricted Goa to 238 - the visitor was 217 for six overnight - Tamil Nadu was made to fight every inch of the way on the second day, and when stumps were drawn at the ICL-Guru Nanak ground, here, on Sunday, the home team was 187 for four after 74 overs of batting, the experienced left-handed duo of S. Sharath (12) and skipper Robin Singh (24), who struck offie Nitin Kalekar for a huge six over long-on, holding fort.

Openers Suresh (65, 130b, 9x4) and S. Ramesh raised 93 runs in 33 overs. Ramesh survived a tentative start to square- drive Avinash Aware to the point fence, but soon the southpaw went into a shell, even as Suresh cover drove and flicked the pacemen with panache on a pitch that continued to play true.

It was support seamer Avdhut Amonkar who finally provided the breakthrough, finding the edge of Ramesh's blade when the batsman pushed forward, for Tanveer Jabbar to hold the catch at second slip.

The men who followed Ramesh flattered to deceive. Hemang Badani (18) drove a well-flighted delivery from the tireless off-spinner Kalekar - he sent down 30 overs on the trot - straight into the hands of Kolambkar at short covers. And young southpaw Hemant Kumar's (14) uppish cut off paceman Narayan Kambli was well taken by Sayyed Khalid at point.

Suresh completed a well deserved half-century and was looking good for more when he was consumed by a lifting away- going delivery from lion-hearted paceman Aware, the ball kissing the batsman's gloves before travelling to Kolambkar at first slip.

Earlier in the day, after the second new ball was claimed straightaway, pacemen M.R. Shrinivas and L. Balaji operated in tandem for 63 minutes, till the end of the Goan innings. The pace duo, guilty of pitching far too many deliveries short on the first day, bowled a much fuller length on Sunday, achieving some seam movement too in the process.

Sayyed Khalid (2) was consumed by a Shrinivas delivery that seamed away for wicketkeeper T.R. Arasu to hold a sharp catch, while the stubborn Rajesh Naik (21) succumbed to a pacy off- cutter that clipped the bails, Shrinivas again being the bowler. The rest of the tail was blown away by the young pace duo. And it was only fitting that Shrinivas (five for 57) led the side back to the pavilion.

The scores:

Goa - 1st innings: V. Kolambkar c Arasu b Shrinivas 11, Paresh Miskin b Balaji 0, K. Powar c Ramkumar b Kapoor 111, T. Jabbar c & b Shrinivas 12, A. Velaskar st Arasu b Ramkumar 34, Rajesh Naik b Shrinivas 21, A. Amonkar lbw b Kapoor 4, S. Khalid c Arasu b Shrinivas 2; A. Aware c Kapoor b Shrinivas 6, N. Kalekar b Balaji 0, N. Kambli (not out) 0. Extras (b-9, lb- 9, nb-18, w-1) 37. Total (in 104 overs) 238.

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-48, 3-64, 4-172, 5-206, 6-211, 7-219, 8- 233, 9-238.

Tamil Nadu bowling: Balaji 27.1-8-47-2, Shrinivas 23-7-57-5, Kapoor 24-7-50-2, Robin Singh 9-4-10-0, Suresh 2-2-0-0, Ramkumar 19-5-56-1.

Tamil Nadu - 1st innings: S. Suresh c Kolambkar b Aware 65, S. Ramesh c Tanveer b Amonkar 36, H. Badani c Kolambkar b Kalekar 18, Hemant Kumar c Khalid b Kambli 14, S. Sharath (batting) 12, Robin Singh (batting) 24. Extras (b-1, lb- 1, w-7, nb-9) 18. Total (for four wickets in 74 overs) 187.

Fall of wickets: 1-93, 2-114, 3-126, 4-144.

Goa bowling: Aware 20.2-4-59-1; Kambli 19.4-6-45-1; Amonkar 4-0- 16-1; Kalekar 30-8-65-1.

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