Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral Sports Desk
Madhya Pradesh strengthened their grip on the Cooch Behar Under-19 Trophy Elite quarterfinal against Goa by taking a commanding first-innings lead at the end of the second day at the Goa Cricket Association ground in Sanguem. In reply to Goa’s modest first-innings total of 164, Madhya Pradesh reached 321 for 7 in 94 overs, securing a healthy lead of 157 runs.
Resuming the day from their overnight score of 12 for 1, Madhya Pradesh found themselves in serious trouble early on as Goa’s bowlers struck regularly. The hosts reduced the visitors to 42 for 5, raising hopes of bowling them out cheaply and taking control of the match.
However, Madhya Pradesh skipper Manal Chauhan and wicketkeeper Sparsh Dhakar turned the game on its head with a remarkable 207-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Chauhan narrowly missed out on a century with a well-compiled 95, while Dhakar played a commanding knock of 139, anchoring the innings and guiding his team out of danger. Their stand not only erased the deficit but firmly swung momentum in Madhya Pradesh’s favour.
For Goa, Samarth Rane was the standout performer with the ball, returning impressive figures of 4 for 63, while Chigurupati Venkata claimed two wickets. Despite their early breakthroughs, Goa were unable to break the crucial partnership in time, allowing Madhya Pradesh to post a dominant total.
With a substantial first-innings lead in hand and three wickets still remaining, Madhya Pradesh will look to build further pressure, while Goa face an uphill task as the quarterfinal heads into the decisive stages.
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