GUWAHATI, Oct 10 - Assam pushed Rajasthan on to the back foot in the Group A Ranji Trophy match.
On the penultimate day of the four-day encounter at the Assam Cricket Association�s Barsapara stadium here today, After taking a formidable 236-run first innings lead, Assam removed three second innings wickets for 47.
In reply to Rajasthan�s first innings total of 186, Assam declared at 422 for nine.
The visiting team required 189 more runs with seven wickets in hand to make Assam bat again.
Credit goes to overnight unbeaten Assam batsman KB Arun Karthik who hammered a solid 151 off 315 balls. His 466-minute knock was studded with 12 boundaries and 3 sixes. Arun built up two most vital partnerships of 90 runs with Sarupam Purkayastha (47) for the seventh wicket and 67 runs with Kunal Saikia (50 not out) for the eighth wickets which virtually enabled Assam in taking a healthy first innings lead.
The stylish right handed batsman Arun, who was on 60 yesterday, batted with absolute confidence since the morning session today. The Tamil Nadu player cracked his seventh first class century in his 43rd match.
Sarupam and Kunal provided Arun able support after Tarjinder Singh�s out for 25. Kunal scored his third 50 in 41 Ranji matches. His 50 came off 107 deliveries with five fours and a six.
In Rajasthan�s second innings, Assam�s first innings bowling hero Krishna Das took two wickets while his new ball partner Arup Das captured one.
SCORECARD
Rajastha 1st innings 186
Assam 1st innings: (overnight 212/4) Pallav Das lbw b Ajay Singh 33, Rishav Das lbw b Singh 0, Gokul Sharma c Yagnik b Ajay Singh 46, Amit Verma b Ajay Singh 19, KB Arun Karthik lbw b Puneet Yadav 151, Tarjinder Singh lbw b Singh 25, J Syed Mohammad c Yagnik b Ajay Singh 13, Sarupam Purkayastha c Singh b Ajay Singh 47, Kunal Saikia not out 50, Arup Das lbw b Chahar 1, Krishna Das not out 2. Extras: (b 16, lb 9, nb 10) 35; Total: (9 wickets decl; 151 overs) 422. Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-83, 3-88, 4-138, 5-218, 6-242, 7-332, 8-399, 9-400. Bowling: DL Chahar 27.5-11-49-1, NB Singh 25.2-2-77-2, A Choudhary 23.4-3-53-0, M Khatri 19-3-61-0, K Ajay Singh 39.5-5-116-5, Puneet Yadav 1.2-0-3-1, AL Menaria 14-2-38-0.
Rajasthan 2nd innings: PI Sharma lbw b K Das 15, VA Saxena c Saikia b AK Das 1, AL Menaria not out 20, R Bishnoi c Saikia b K Das 0, Puneet Yadav not out 1. Extras: (b 4, lb 5, nb 1) 10. Total (3 wickets; 15 overs) 47. Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-28, 3-28. Bowling: Arup Das 7-2-12-1, Krishna Das 5-2-13-2, Sarupam Purkayastha 2-0-13-0, Amit Verma 1-1-0-0.
