Tamil Nadu poised for innings victory

Tamil Nadu were poised for an innings victory over Goa at stumps on the second day of their South Zone Ranji Trophy match at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai on Friday. After dismissing the visitors for 112 and gaining a first innings lead of 334, Tamil Nadu enforced the follow on and took four Goa wickets for 90 runs at close.

Tamil Nadu totally dominated the day's proceedings. Resuming at 350 for 7, they declared their innings at 446 for eight. Overnight not out batsmen Tanveer Jabbar and S Mahesh added 154 runs for the eighth wicket off 36.5 overs before the latter was out for 77. Mahesh faced 122 balls and hit ten of them to the ropes. Sharath delayed the declaration till Jabbar got his century. At the declaration, Jabbar, a right handed stylist was unbeaten with exactly 100. He faced just 119 balls and hit 14 fours and two sixes. Opening bowler A Aware finished with five for 125 off 29 overs.

Goa's batting problems started early. In his first over, Mahesh removed A Bhagwat. In his next over, he got rid of V Kolambkar, also for a duck. Except for YC Barde, the rest of the batsmen succumbed meekly before Mahesh and off spinner Aashish Kapoor. Barde made 69 off 100 balls with ten fours and a six. He came in when the score was five for two in the third over and was eighth out at 112 in the 38th over. N Naik when 14 was hit on the left hand by a ball from Mahesh and retired hurt. Mahesh finished with four for 37 off 16 overs while Kapoor had three for 30 from ten overs.

Goa fared only a little better in the follow on. Wickets fell at regular intervals and Goa face a virtually impossible task in staving off an innings defeat.