UP on top despite defiant Goud

Uttar Pradesh 346 and 118 for 4 (Srivastava 51*, Parida 2-7) lead Railways 200 (Goud 78*, Chawla 5-33) by 264 runs
Scorecard

Yere Goud's stodgy defence stood between Uttar Pradesh and a shot at an outright win, as he helped Railways avoid the follow-on. That brought UP out to bat and, in fading light, they didn't push for a win despite their 146-run first-innings lead. In 50 second-innings overs, they managed only 118, and were content to protect the three points the first-innings lead gave them.

Goud's innings, an unbeaten 78 off 231 deliveries, was significant because a different UP would have taken the field had Railways been forced to bat again. Goud had come in to bat in the sixth over of the Railways innings yesterday, when they had slipped to 10 for 3.

That became 12 for 4, but Goud had taken them to the relative safety of 118 for 5 by stumps. When Goud resumed with Mahesh Rawat, with whom he had already added 46, a long battle of attrition began. Neither team wanted to make the first false move. UP didn't want to get overly aggressive, because that could have meant bleeding quick runs and take Railways closer to the follow-on mark. Railways didn't want any loose shots because every minute spent at the wicket was worth a run then.

It was a situation made for Goud. He concentrated hard, forgot about scoring and blunted the UP bowling. RP Singh and Praveen Kumar started the day with intent, trying everything from swing to bouncers, but Goud left anything outside off, blocked whatever was straight and ducked under anything high. RP and Praveen gave their all during the first 13 overs of the day, conceding not a single boundary and only 26 runs.

The first bowling change worked for UP, as Bhuvneshwar Kumar clean bowled Rawat - who'd added 11 to his overnight 28 - with his fourth delivery. When Raja Ali came in, Railways still required 53 to save the follow-on. Ali hit the first boundary of the day when he square-drove RP. Soon spin was brought on, and runs became easier to get. Piyush Chawla, who started from round the wicket, gave away four byes in his first over. Ali got stuck into Praveen Gupta in his second, hitting him for a six and a four.

Just when it looked like it would be easy to save the follow-on, Chawla brought UP back, getting Ali to edge a sweep to the keeper. Goud stood there, solid as ever, on 68. After that seventh-wicket stand of 28, he put on 24 for the eighth wicket with Murali Kartik. Chawla got Kartik out, with one run still required to avoid the follow-on. Just before lunch Chawla got the No. 10 Anureet Singh, one ball after the follow-on had been avoided. UP got their last wicket two runs later, Chawla completing his first five-for of the season, but UP couldn't out Goud.

The intent to push for a declaration was there when UP started their second piece, with Tanmay Srivastava and Suresh Raina putting on quick runs. Srivastava looked especially impressive in his off-side play, getting right to the pitch while driving. He drove both opening bowlers, Sanjay Bangar and Anureet Singh, for boundaries. Raina, who came in at 23 for 1, hit three typically crunchy boundaries in his 17, but played on off Anureet, who had just come back for a second spell. By that time UP had scored 84 runs in 23 overs, not overly fast but putting themselves in a position to go for the charge. But then, with the spinners getting purchase from the rough, and the light playing games, they decided to shut shop.

The only quick runs that came after that was through byes, partly because Kartik got the ball to misbehave from outside the left-hander's off stump, and partly because Milind Tamhane had to keep wicket for the injured Rawat. Kartik was allowed to bowl 13 overs for 19 runs, while Kulamani Parida was even more economical. He bowled 13 overs, eight maidens, gave away seven runs, and took two wickets with real beauties. He drew Mohammad Kaif out with the loop, beat him with the dip, and got enough turn to take his inside egde, onto the pad, and through to forward short leg. Parvinder Singh got a drifting, flighted delivery that pitched outside off, spun through the gate, and took his off stump.

Srivastava stayed unbeaten at 51, ensuring that UP had taken a lead of 264. It will depend on UP tomorrow to make a match out of this, either through a sporting declaration or by engineering a collapse.