GUWAHATI, Dec 11 � Assam batsmen failed to keep their temperament and surrendered to a mediocre Gujarat attack to concede 114-run first innings lead.
Gujarat were 40 for three when stumps were finally drawn.
The host team earned just one point against Gujarat�s three from this drawn match.
On the final day of the four-day Ranji Trophy Super League encounter at the Nehru Stadium here today, Assam were all out for 273 in their first innings.
At one stage it looked Assam may cross Gujarat�s first innings total of 387 when Amol Mazumdar and Gokul Sharma were batting. This pair added 93 runs for the fifth wicket. When Amol was out for 90, the team�s total was 229. But the Assam tail hardly could handle the pressure and started losing wickets at regular intervals.
Gokul fought a lonely battle and was the eighth batsman to get out. He scored 55. Today Tarjinder was the first man to out for 20. After that Amol and Gokul got their act together at the middle and started punishing the opponent bowlers. Amol batted for 279 minutes and hit nine boundaries in his 188-ball knock. Gokul played 128 deliveries and his innings was studded with eight fours.
Gujarat pacer Ishwar Choudhury was the most successful bowler with a five-wicket haul. Amit Singh took two while Mehul Patel and Salil Yadav shared one each.
Now, Assam is in a critical position in the last match against Saurashtra which will be placed at Rajkot from December 15. Assam, who has eight points in their kitty must collect atleast one point from that match and if Saurashtra (5 points) can post an outright victory they will have 10 points and Assam will be relegated to the Plate Group. But atleast a draw will ensure Assam�s position in the Super League next year. With players like Ravindra Jadeja, SD Jogiyani, PS Mehta, KR Makvana and home ground advantage, Saurashtra will definitely go all out as they have no alternative but to win in order to stay in the top grade.
SCORECARD
Assam 1st innings: DS Jadhav c Darbar b MB Patel 20, SA Roy c Darbar b Choudhary 39, S Sriram run out 0, AA Muzumdar c Darbar b Singh 90, Tarjinder Singh c Sunny Patel b Singh 20, G Sharma c Darbar b Choudhary 55, Rajdeep Das lbw b Choudhary 4, DS Goswami c Makla b Choudhary 5, AN Ahmed b Yadav 10, A Konwar b Choudhary 4, RL Mali not out 4. Extras: (lb 4, w 6, nb 12) 22. Total: (all out; 99.4 overs) 273. Fall of wickets: 1-49, 2-51, 3-90, 4-136, 5-229, 6-237, 7-243, 8-265, 9-269, 10-273. Bowling: A Singh 31-10-57-2, IH Choudhary 35.4-9-116-5, MB Patel 16-2-43-1, SG Yadav 15-1-47-1, JT Makla 2-0-6-0.
Gujarat 2nd innings: RP Chauhan lbw b Ahmed 0, PK Panchal c Rajdeep Das b Mali 0, RD Darbar lbw b Ahmed 0, BD Thaker not out 5, Sunny Patel retired hurt 1, NK Patel not out 29. Extras: (b 1, nb 4) 5. Total: (3 wickets; 24 overs) 40. Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-0, 3-0. Bowling: AN Ahmed 6-4-9-2, RL Mali 7-1-12-1, S Sriram 2-1-1-0, DS Goswami 2-0-15-0, G Sharma 4-3-2-0, Tarjinder Singh 2-2-0-0, SA Roy 1-1-0-0.
