CG & railways fight for points as match hurtles towards draw

Raipur: S A Ahuja's outstanding knock of an unbeaten 135 helped Railways reach 323 for three wickets at the close of play on the third day, in response to Chhattisgarh's declared total of 500 for nine. With seven wickets remaining and trailing by 177 runs in the first innings, the four-day fixture at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Nava Raipur appears to be headed for a draw on the final day. However, Railways will aim for three crucial points by securing a first-innings lead, even if the match ends in a draw.Vivek Singh scored a solid 86 for Railways. Chhattisgarh's bowling effort was led by spinner Ajay Mandal, who claimed two wickets, whilst M Ravi Kiran picked up one.Chhattisgarh's substantial first innings total of 500 for nine declared was built around several significant contributions. Sanjeet Desai crafted a quick-paced 110 from 185 deliveries, whilst skipper Amandeep Khare scored an impressive 88 off 151 balls. Additional support came from Anuj Tiwary (84 off 185) and Ajay Mandal (66 off 73), with Eknath Kerkar providing a steady 27 from 89 balls.Despite Railways winning the toss and electing to field, they struggled to contain Chhattisgarh's batting.
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