Ahmedabad: Rajesh Dhuper saved Odisha the blushes on the second day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group B match against Goa at Narendra Modi Stadium Ground B.
The wicketkeeper-batsman made an unbeaten 71 and, with gritty contributions from lower-order batsmen, pulled Odisha out of a hole and ensured a thin 8-run first-innings lead.
Odisha pacer Basant Mohanty and leggie Abhishek Raut then captured a wicket apiece late in the day as Goa reached 87 for 2 at stumps on Friday. With two days left, Goa lead by 79 runs.
The 22-year-old Dhuper walked out with Odisha reeling at 48 for 4. Soon, Odisha lost skipper Subhranshu Senapati’s wicket to be reduced to 54 for 5 – still 127 runs behind Goa total.
Dhuper then set about reviving the innings with allrounder Raut and pacers Debabrata Pradhan and Basant Mohanty. Dhuper added 47 runs for the sixth wicket with Raut and 40 for the eighth wicket with Basant.
Last man and debutant Ashish Rai also played his part, helping Dhuper take Odisha past the Goa total.
Goa openers Amogh Desai (42) and Sumiran Amonkar (33) erased the 8-run deficit and put on 76 before both were dismissed at that score.
Scores: Goa 181 & 87/2. Odisha 189.
Match to continue.
