Orissa takes first innings lead

Sambalpur, Nov 18 (UNI) Taking advantage of the cracks on the wicket, left arm spinner Dhiraj Singh demolished Rajasthan for 270 all out to enable Orissa take first innings lead of 11 runs on the third day of the Ranji Elite group A match at the VSS Stadium here today.

At close Orissa were 109 for three in their second innings.

The Rajasthan batsmen failed like nine pins after the fall of Gagan Khoda's wicket. Khoda scored a brilliant 127 before being trapped lbw by Dhiraj Singh.

Singh went on to extract ton and bounce from the wicket and claimed seven for 83 runs.

None of the Rajasthan batsmen were able to apply themselves.

Robin Bist and Veenet Saxena were the only two who managed to score 43 and 36 runs respectively, while the rest troubled to reach double figure.

Resuming their overnight score of 172 for 2, the visitors could add only 98 runs and remained 11 short of Orissa's first innings total.

Paresh Patel of Orissa claimed two wickets, conceding 42 runs and Rajasthan innings folded eleven short of Orissa's first innings total.

Commencing their second knock Captain S S Das played with caution to reach his third 50 of the season.

Das remained not out at 57 and at the other end Pritamjeet remained not out at one.

The three Orissa wickets, which fell today, were opener B S Pati, who returned to the pavillion with a duck, while Paresh Patel scored only 14 runs to his credit before being bowled by captain Venu Gopal Rao and Subit Biswal satisfied with 30 runs.

Brief score: Orissa 1st innings 281 all out (S S Das 74, Bikash Pati 72, Haladhar Das 59 (not out) Vivek Yadav 4 for 45, S Mathur 3 for 53.

Rajasthan 1st innings : 270 all out Gagan Khoda 127, Robin Bist 43 Dhiraj Singh 7 for 83,Paresh Patel 2 for 42.

Orissa Second Innings: 109 for 3 S S Das 57 (not out).Subit Biswal 30 Pankaj Singh 2 for 27 runs, Venu Gopal Rao 1 for27.

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