Tamil Nadu roared to a 203 run thumping of Goa on the final day of
their South Zone Ranji Trophy tie at Margao today. Set 315 for
victory, the Goans crumbled in the face of a disciplined Tamil Nadu
attack led by skipper Sridharan Sriram and Rajat Bhatia. The visitors
collected eight points for their toils to go top of the table.
Bhatia struck the early blows, removing wicketkeeper A Bhagwath and
Tamil Nadu exiles Satyajit Medappa and Tanvir Jabbar, to have Goa
reeling at 42/3. Sriram's left arm spinners then mesmerised the middle
order, three wickets falling to him in the space of seven balls, all
at the score of 68. The prize victim was rival captain Pravin Amre,
bowled for 14.
The remaining four wickets were grabbed by the four other bowlers
used. Sriram's fellow tweakers Balaji Rao and Kapoor snapped up one
apiece before Mahesh and Kumaran returned to polish off the tail.
Kapoor's return catch had accounted for opener V Kolambkar the most
obdurate Goan batsman who had grafted for 175 deliveries to compile
48. The next highest was extras with 16, which included five byes when
a Bhatia delivery struck the helmet behind the keeper. Goas's effort
was terminated at 111 in the 70th over, Sriram's unchanged spell of
8-3-6-3 being the most attractive figures.