Orissa hold the edge over Saurashtra

Twenty wickets fell on the second day of the Super League tie between Saurashtra and Orissa at the Municipal Stadium in Rajkot today. Orissa tightened the screws on the home side by taking a first innings lead of 134 although they were in a spot of bother at 18-2 in their second innings.

Earlier the Orissa first innings terminated at 372. RR Parida made 76 and Debashish Mohanty remained not out on 20. Niraj Odedra's 6-117 was by far the best figures of the innings.

Saurashtra were struggling at 35-5 in their second knock but swashbuckling innings from Hitesh Parsana (76, 80 balls, 7 fours, 5 sixes) and MM Parmar (71, 89 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) helped them to a respectable score of 238. Debashish Mohanty and Sanjay Satpathy took four wickets each.

When Orissa replied, Saurashtra opening bowler AA Merchant grabbed two wickets with the second and fifth balls of his first over. Both openers, Y Mohanty and P Mullick, fell for ducks.