Jharkhand complete big win

Jharkhand consolidated on their dominance on the first day to pull off a win within two days against Tripura. Both teams were dismissed cheaply, but Jharkhand held the edge due to a crucial first-innings lead and chased 53 to win by seven wickets. Four bowlers took at least four wickets on the day - seamers Timir Chanda and Manisankar Murasingh for Tripura, and Ajay Yadav and Shankar Rao for Jharkhand. The win put Jharkhand at the top of the table with Andhra and Services.

Resuming on 95 for 3, Jharkhand lost Jaggi for 43 in the third over of the day. This led to a collapse, and Saurabh Tiwary stuck for 7.2 overs before being the eighth wicket to fall, for 58. Murasingh took crucial middle-order wickets and Chanda, after dismissing the top order the previous day, cleaned up the tail quickly to help bowl them out for 139. Tripura, in their second innings, failed for the second time with the bat, as Rao and Yadav ran through the line-up. A partnership of 31 for the eighth wicket between Abhijit Dey and Chanda was the highest they could muster. They were bowled out for 86, their fourth-lowest total in first-class cricket. Jharkhand's No. 3 Akash Verma smashed 23 to help chase the target of 53 inside six overs.

In Guwahati, Himachal Pradesh were back into a contest that was earlier dictated by Assam. They bowled Assam out after 44.5 overs on the day, led by Rishi Dhawan's four wickets, and made a strong reply with the bat.

Assam resumed on 213 for 4 but lost middle-order batsman Tarjinder Singh for 40, and after a 54-run stand between Amit Sinha and Jamaluddin Syed Mohammad, Sinha departed for 53. The remaining wickets fell quickly, as Assam were bowled out for 354. Himachal openers played 30 overs and scored 62.

A fight for the first-innings lead will be the focus of the third day between Jammu & Kashmir and Kerala in Malappuram. Kerala finished the second day 52 behind J&K's first-innings score with two wickets remaining, and unlike their opponents, their innings was not based on one knock.

After losing opener Abhishek Hegde in the first over of the day, and the other opener VA Jagadeesh soon after, Kerala captain Robert Fernandez shared a 56-run stand with Robert Prem and a 40-run stand with Sachin Baby. Baby's dismissal, however, led to a collapse, and Kerala were struggling at 147 for 8. Shahid hit two boundaries and a six to take his team to 163 for 8 at stumps.

Services, led by centuries from Soumik Chatterjee and Yashpal Singh, built on their strong first day to score 473 before being bowled out. Yashpal, who was unbeaten on 92 overnight, stayed till the end of the innings and ran out for partners. He had useful partnerships with Rajat Paliwal, Muzaffaruddin Khalid, and No. 10 Suraj Yadav, who scored 45. Yashpal's 166 was his third-best first-class score.

Seamer Saurabh Bandekar and spinner Shadab Jakati took seven wickets between them. Goa openers put on 44 runs before the more dominant of the pair, Sagun Kamat, was dismissed. Goa ended the day on 64 for 1, and with a lot to do the next day.