KOLKATA: Set a target of 429 by visitors Vidarbha, hosts Jharkhand are looking down the barrel after losing three wickets for just 51 runs on board on Day 3 of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A game at JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi on Sunday.
Earlier, overnight unbeaten batters Atharva Taide (138 off 222 balls, 13 fours, 3 sixes) and Dhruv Shorey's (113 off 227 balls, 14 fours) second-innings centuries had put Vidarbha in a commanding position.
The duo put on a 265-run second-wicket stand to help Vidarbha declare at a huge 374/9 with an overall lead of 428 runs. Captain Akshay Wadkar's 88-ball of 51 with five fours also helped Vidarbha's cause of pushing for an outright win.
Veteran left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem ran through the Vidarbha innings and was Jharkhand's stand-out bowler returning 6 for 69 runs from his 30 overs.
Coming onto bat, Jharkhand lost opener Utkarsh Singh for nought and other opener Aryaman Sen for only 5 to be down to 12 for two in four overs. At stumps on the penultimate day, the home side was wobbling on 51/3 with 378 runs still needed for an improbable victory on last day. Nazim Siddiquie and captain Virat Singh are at the crease.
Brief Scores (Group A, in Ranchi): Vidarbha 204 & 374/9 decl. in 112 overs (A Taide 138, D Shorey 113, A Wadkar 51; S Nadeem 6/69). Jharkhand 150 & 51/3 in 16 overs (N Siddiquie 24 batting). Match to continue.
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