Ranji Trophy Opener: Odisha Settle For A Point After High-Scoring Draw Vs Baroda

Bhubaneswar: The high-scoring Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match between Odisha and Baroda ended in a tame draw at the Vikash Cricket ground on Friday.

But it was Baroda who pocketed 3 points, by virtue of taking the first-innings lead, while hosts Odisha had to be content with a solitary point.

Chasing Odisha’s first-innings total of 457, Baroda resumed on the fourth and final day at 416/5.

Odisha had a glimmer of hope as Suryakant Pradhan and Debabrata Pradhan dismissed overnight batsmen Ninad Rathva for 17 and teenaged debutant Priyanshu Moliya after he added 5 runs to his overnight score of 113.

Baroda were 431/7 at that stage, and still needed 27 runs to achieve first-innings lead.

But another mammoth partnership of 181 runs for the eighth wicket between Abhimanyusingh Rajput (102*) and Bhargav Bhatt (87) took Baroda to 624/8 declared – giving them a first-innings lead of 167 runs.

The match ended in a somewhat farcical manner with all but Odisha wicketkeeper Rajesh Dhuper having a bowl.

Both captains agreed to call off the game as there was no chance of an outright result.

Brief scores: Odisha 457. Baroda 624/8 declared (Shashwat Rawat 135, Priyanshu Moliya 118, Abhimanyusingh Rajput 102*, Bhargav Bhatt 87; Basant Mohanty 2/31, Suryakant Pradhan 2/116, Subham Nayak 2/122).

Result: Match drawn.

Points earned: Baroda 3, Odisha 1.