Chandigarh, January 31
A fine unbeaten 164-run contribution by Mayank Sidhu helped Chandigarh gain a 177-lead over hosts Chhattisgarh on the third day of the ongoing Col CK Nayudu Trophy match at Bhiali.
Resuming from their overnight total of 260/5, the Chandigarh batters scored 482/9 before declaring their innings. Sidhu, along with AA Kumar, started the innings today. The duo raised a 87-run partnership for the 6th wicket before Deepak Singh accounted for Kumar (42 off 101 balls, with five boundaries and one six). Paras, thereafter, joined Sidhu and the duo stabled the innings by raising another fruitful partnership. The duo raised 54 runs for the 7th wicket and it was Deepak again to put brakes on the Chandigarh innings by claiming Paras (25 off 68 balls, studded with two boundaries and one six).
The Chandigarh innings saw another push as Neel (16 off 57 balls) raised a 42-run stand with Sidhu before falling prey to Gagandeep Singh. At 420/8, Mandeep Singh joined Sidhu and troubled the host bowlers. The duo was involved in an unexpected partnership of 62 runs for the 9th wicket. Mandeep contributed only two runs, while Sidhu completed an unbeaten 164 off 314 balls, studded with 13 boundaries and four sixes. After the fall of Mandeep, Chandigarh skipper Arjun Azad declared the innings.
Deepak remained the most successful bowler for the hosts as he grabbed 4/128, while Gagandeep (3/70) and Satyam Dubey (2/76) were the other main wicket takers.
Chasing Chandigarh’s first innings lead of 212 runs, the hosts were playing at 35/1 at the draw of the stumps. Aditya Singh (20 off 35 balls, with four boundaries) fell prey to Paras, while Sanidhya Hurkat (10 off 23 balls) was unbeaten.
In their first innings, Chhattisgarh lads were allout for 270 runs. Mandeep (3/57), Neil (3/67) and Paras (2/51) were the main wicket takers for Chandigarh. Gagandeep (96 off 178 balls, including 10 boundaries) was the main scorer for the host side.
