da gbg bet： Excellent bowling performance from Punjab forced HimachalPardesh to follow-on and they are again five down for 216 runsin 2nd innings in the North Zone Ranji Trophy league cricketmatch being played at PCA Stadium, Mohali
Staff Reporter03-Nov-2001Excellent bowling performance from Punjab forced HimachalPardesh to follow-on and they are again five down for 216 runsin 2nd innings in the North Zone Ranji Trophy league cricketmatch being played at PCA Stadium, Mohali.Himachal Pradesh resumed their overnight innings from 147 for5 with not out batsman Sangram Singh and Sandeep Sharma. Bothplayed with great courage and showed some resistance against adisciplined attack. Sangram Singh completed his half centuryin 81 balls with the help of 8 fours. Trying to pull a shortpitched rising delivery on leg stump from Amit Uniyal, hesnicked the ball for keeper Dharmani, who took the catch andUniyal gave a vital breakthrough to his team. The duo added49 runs for the sixth wicket partnership.After the departure of Sangram Singh tailenders could not staylonger and for the addition of only 17 runs they lost anotherfour wickets. Debutant Amit Uniyal took three wickets for 33runs while Vineet Sharma and Babloo Kumar also accounted forthree wickets each after giving away 83 and 12 runsrespectively.Forced to follow-on, Himachal started their 2nd innings on asound note as Nischal Gaur (51) and Raza Ali (14) added 46runs for the first wicket. Raza Ali was brilliantly caught atthird slip by Dinesh Mongia who took a single handed highcatch to his left off the bowling of Vineet Sharma. Nayyar (5)joined Gaur but with the addition of 8 runs to the total hewas trapped in front of wicket by Sandeep Sawal.Sangram Singh and Nischal Gaur played cautiously and kept thescoreboard moving. Gaur completed his half century in 100balls with the help of 5 hits to the fence. Amit Uniyal gaveanother jolt to Himachal team as he clean bowled Sangram Singh(13) with a yorker. The scoreboard was showing 91 runs forthree wickets. With the addition of just two runs to the totalNischal Gaur lost his patience and was trapped in front ofwicket by left arm spinner Babloo Kumar.Here comes the brightest part of the innings when SandeepSharma joined skipper Virender Sharma. Both playedaggressively and added 50 runs in just 62 balls. Virender wasmost instrumental in scoring runs at a quick pace. Virendercompleted his fifty with a cheeky single to point off SandeepSawal. He took 75 balls to complete his half-century whichwas studded with 7 boundaries and a huge six. The duocompleted the 100-run partnership in 144 balls for the fifthwicket, which is a record for the fifth wicket against anyteam in this version of game.Sandeep Sharma who was shaping well for a big score playedearly to a slower delivery from Anit Uniyal and gave a simplecatch to Dinesh Mongia at mid-off. Sandeep scored 44 runs in76 balls with 7 hits to fence. The duo added valuable 117runs for their team and give them some stability and respect.At the draw of stumps on day three Virender Sharma wasbatting on 61 while Paras Dogra had 5 to his name.Himachal still requires 113 runs to avoid inningsdefeat with five wickets in hand. Amit Uniyalcaptured two wickets at the cost of 51 runs, whileBabloo Kumar, Sandeep Sawal and Vineet Sharma snared awicket each.