Tripura take firm control

Abhijit Dey was only into his second over of the day when Tripura coach Sameer Dighe got up from his seat, almost superstitiously, as if to make things happen.

Visiting bowlers rule on Day Two asServices go into self-destruct mode

Abhijit Dey was only into his second over of the day when Tripura coach Sameer Dighe got up from his seat, almost superstitiously, as if to make things happen. With Services at 88 for four at tea, Tahir Khan and Madhushudan Reddy had already gone into a shell, playing a streak of maiden overs.

However, there couldn8217;t have been a better coincidence for Tripura than Dighe8217;s change of position and Khan8217;s dismissal 8212; Rajib Saha taking a sitter at silly point off Dey8217;s second ball of the over. Khan, after facing 190 deliveries on his way to a solid 52, failed to negotiate the extra bounce. Reddy, in Dey8217;s next over, tried to do things different in his 37-ball 6 but scooped one straight into the bowler8217;s hands.

A bunch of Services officials were still unsure if the floodgates had actually opened, pinning their hopes on three all-rounders in their squad 8212; debutant Abhishek Sinha, AK Mohanty and Suvra Karmakar. But then, Tripura are not a team of individuals.

While all the bowlers had their wickets8217; column ticking by then, spin spearhead Jayanta Debnath8217;s was reading zero. Sinha, after a 42-ball 26, became Debnath8217;s first victim, edging one to Rajesh Banik at slip. Before his second wicket that concluded the Services8217; innings for 138 8212; a classical off spinner that castled Rakesh Kumar 8212; Vineet Jain did the same to Mohanty, while Dey had Karmakar caught at short-leg.

The second day8217;s play clearly livened up the match when batsmen, eyeing a big first-innings total, threw away their wickets. Services, having scored 138 off 75 overs, had an innings run rate of less than two runs an over.

The dismissal of Yashpal Singh early might have cost them dearly, but he also, like Nishit Shetty on Monday, tried to accelerate when the road was getting slippery 8212; failing to clear mid-on taking the aerial route, right after lunch when his team were precariously placed at 49 for 2. The reason, according to coach Jai Prakash Pandey, can be his uncharacteristic 34-ball 9.

Story continues below this ad

8220;When you are playing out so many deliveries without scoring a run, you are bound to get out, with the bowler clearly on top. The boys failed to rotate the strike, inviting pressure. This is why singles are so important on a track like this,8221; said Pandey.

Tripura8217;s late fightback on Monday ended early on Tuesday with the remaining three wickets accounting for only 17 more runs. For Services, Rakesh Kumar and Suvra Karmakar took five wickets each, but the former had the distinction of claiming a third consecutive five-for after making his debut against Assam with five wickets last season.

The new ball for Tripura8217;s second innings, however, was given to Karmakar who finished with a run-less over.

Tripura virtually ended the day at 85 for no loss, thanks to their even bowling card that displayed two wickets each for Vineet Jain, Tushar Saha and Jayanta Debnath, one more and one less for Abhijit dey and Timir Chanda, respectively.

Story continues below this ad

The lead might amount for a win while Services have only one way out 8212; bowl out the visitors and chase down the target.

Brief scores: Tripura 223 and 0/0 in 1.0 over lead Services 138 all out in 75 overs Tahir Khan 52; Abhijit Dey 3/16, Jayanta Debnath 2/22, Tushar Saha 2/40, Vineet Jain 2/33 by 85 runs.