Harbhajan Singh’s best bundles out Odisha on Day One

The over’s second delivery turned sharp,kissed Gobind Poddar’s bat and Ravi Inder Singh took the catch in the slips. Halahar Das,the new batsman,lasted just two balls,as Harbhajan bowled him. Harbhajan was on four wickets now and he Alok Mangaraj to complete his five-for,his first five-wicket haul in a Ranji innings after 13 years,the last one coming against Delhi in 2000.

The off-spinner bowled last batsman Dhiraj Singh for zero to finish with 6 for 54,registering his best Ranji bowling performance as Odisha were shot out for 205 in 83.2 overs,with Poddar top scoring with 42 runs.

Earlier,looking at the green tinge on the pitch,Harbhajan elected to bowl fast,hoping Sandeep and Siddarth Kaul,who took 40 odd wickets each last season,would breakthrough early. Though Siddharth removed opener Natraj Behera,the Odhisha team did well from there on. Harbhajan brought himself on in the 18th over,put the brakes on the run rate,also ending promising partnership between Girija Rout and Poddar by removing the former. Apart from him,Sandeep took two wickets in an over and also effected the run out of Naranjan Behera.

Brief scores: Odisha 205 in 83.2 overs (Gobind Poddar 42,Girija Rout 38; Harbhajan Singh 6/54,Sandeep Sharma 2/49) vs Punjab 11 for no loss in 4 overs.