Services eye innings lead as Goa collapse

Goa 268 for 8 (Asnodkar 139, Poonia 3-45, Pathania 3-86) trail Services 402 by 134 runs
Scorecard

Goa and Services continued to play attritional cricket in Porvorim with the hosts scoring only 205 runs on the second day. Opener Swapnil Asnodkar ground out his 11th first-class century to guide Goa but their progress was stalled by late wickets.

Overnight batsman Dheeraj Jadhav managed to add only two runs before he was bowled by Poonam Ponia. Asnodkar then put on partnerships of 62 and 99 with Darshal Misal and Rahul Keni respectively as Goa nudged past the 200-mark. However, Goa lost four wickets for 22 runs, slipping to 259 for 8. Pacers Diwesh Pathania and Poonia shared six wickets between them. Shadab Jakati and Rituraj Singh hung around to close out the day without any further damage. Goa finished at 268 for 8, still trailing Services by 134 runs.

Hyderabad 207 for 8 (Reddy 73, Anirudh 54, Monish 6-91) trail Kerala 401 by 194 runs
Scorecard

Resuming from their overnight score of 40 for 1, Hyderabad crawled to 207 for 8 in reply to Kerala's 401. Opener Akshath Reddy and B Anirudh made fifties at strike-rates of 30s to prop up their side after they were reduced to 97 for 3. Hyderebad, however, were done in by the lack of substantial contributions from the lower middle order. Reddy was dismissed for 73 by Karaparambil Monish, who then cleaned up the tail to claim his maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. Monish wheeled away for 43 overs, bowling 10 maidens and finishing with six wickets. Anirudh, though, was still unbeaten on 54 off 142 balls.

Himachal Pradesh's 23-year old batsman Nikhil Gangta scored his maiden first-class double-century to drive his team to a commanding lead against Jammu & Kashmir in Dharamsala.

Resuming on 111 on the third morning, Gangta went on to score 203 at a brisk pace, hitting 20 fours and seven sixes. He was the seventh wicket to fall with the score on 514, having added 168 with Bipul Sharma. Sharma remained unbeaten on 117 off 154 balls, driving Himachal Pradesh to 554 before the last wicket fell in the 143rd over.

The Jammu & Kashmir openers added 58 before Sharma dismissed Waseem Raza for 38. The visitors ended the day on 85 for 1, trailing by 176.