SILCHAR, Dec 29 - Pacer Mrinmoy Dutta�s five wicket haul and local lad Rahul Singh�s four wickets helped Assam restrict Tamil Nadu to 167 runs, thereby getting a vital 31-run first inning lead in the ongoing Col. CK Nayudu Under-23 Tournament. At stumps, Assam posted 107 runs in their second innings losing five wickets with an overall lead of 138 runs.
Resuming the innings at 43-4, Tamil Nadu pinned hopes on skipper S Radhakrishnan who played a sensible knock against some tight bowling from Assam. Radhakrishnan batted with great responsibility and was all set for a century before he was picked up by Mrinmoy at the score of 73 runs. R Sonu Yadav offered some resistance to take the score close to Assam�s first inning total of 198 runs. However, spinner Rahul Singh had other plans as he ripped through the Tamil Nadu batting line up picking four crucial wickets. The whole team was bundled out for 167 runs in 66 overs.
Assam skipper Biplab Saikia and his opening partner Shubham Mandal began the second innings on a good note as both batsman looked to dominate the opponent bowlers and also accelerated the scoring to stretch the lead. However, both openers fell in quick succession as S Swaminathan, who picked six wickets in the first innings again got three valuable wickets.
Assam�s wicket-keeper batsman Abhishek Thakuri was looking in great touch in the second innings playing some delightful drives on the off side. But he too fell cheaply while fending at a delivery from Pacer H Trilok Nath towards the end of the third day. Mujibur Ali batting on 28 and Jitumoni Kalita would want to extend the lead to over 200 runs on the fourth and final day of the match at the SM Dev Stadium.
Brief score: Assam 1st Innings: 198.
Tamil Nadu 1st Inning: 167 all-out in 66 overs (S Radhakrishnan 73, R Sonu Yadav 32; Mrinmoy Dutta 5/58, Rahul Singh 4/47).
Assam 2nd Innings: 107/5 (Mujibur Ali 28 n.o., Biplab Saikia 27, Abhishek Thakuri 19; S Swaminathan 3-17).
