Ahmedabad: Gujarat consolidated their position in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group C clash at Narendra Modi Stadium B Ground, leaving Odisha to fight for survival.
Gujarat piled up 439 after resuming Day 3 on 205/2, thereby earning a first-innings lead of 114 runs. Badal Biswal bagged 5/118, his first fifer in first-class cricket, while Rajesh Mohanty and Lalit Yadav claimed two wickets apiece.
Odisha started their second innings on a disastrous note, losing opener Om T Munde and captain Subhranshu Senapati in the fourth over, with neither opening their account. Both batters were caught-behind by Urvil Patel off pacer Arzan Nagwaswalla.
First-innings centurion Gourav Choudhury was also dismissed by Nagwaswalla (3/18), castled for 18, as Odisha slumped to 24/3.
Ninad Rathva and Sandeep Pattnaik steadied the ship with an 89-run collaboration. However, Rathva had his stumps disturbed by Harshal Patel shortly before stumps on the third day after making a strokeful 53 (57 balls, 10×4).
Pattnaik showed patience and composure to be unbeaten on 41.
Odisha are just 4 runs ahead, and will have to bat two sessions to try and salvage a draw.
BRIEF SCORES
Odisha first innings: 324
Gujarat first innings: 439 (Vedant Trivedi 108, Urvil Patel 85, Harshal Patel 60; Badal Biswal 5/118).
Odisha second innings: 119/4 (Ninad Rathva 53, Sandeep Pattnaik batting 41; Arzan Nagwaswalla 3/18).
Match to continue on 4th and final day.
