Spinners help TN make stunning comeback

Chennai: Left-arm spinners R Sai Kishore and S Ajith Ram helped Tamil Nadu make a stunning comeback as the visitors bowled Goa out for 241 on the first day of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match in Porvorim, Goa, on Friday.
Invited to bowl first at the Goa Cricket Association Academy Ground, TN picked up the last seven wickets for just 36 runs (from 205-3 to 241 all-out), thanks to skipper Sai Kishore (4-73 off 21.5 overs) and Ajith (3-46 off 18 overs).At close of play, the tourists were 20 without loss, with debutant S Lokeshwar (15 batting) and N Jagadeesan (3 batting) in the middle.
Goa had opener Suyash Prabhudessai (104 off 192 balls, 17x4) and No. 4 KV Siddharth (69 off 142 balls, 8x4, 2x6) to thank, after the pair bailed the hosts out with a 144-run partnership for the third wicket. Goa had made a poor start, with TN pacer Sandeep Warrier (2-45) striking twice early on to leave them at 8-2.
But Prabhudessai and Siddharth brought the home team back with a fighting alliance, during which the batters mixed caution with aggression. However, after Ajith removed both of them – via LBW – Goa lost their way and were bundled out for a below-par score.
Speaking to TOI after the day’s play, Ajith, who picked up two crucial wickets, said that TN were rewarded for their patience. “Goa had a good partnership, so the plan was to bowl tight lines and not give away easy runs. In the session post lunch, I kept it tight at one end and that benefitted the team. There was wear and tear on the pitch and it was important to bowl in the right areas. We knew that if we picked up one wicket, we could run through the rest of the batting line-up. We had the belief,” said Ajith.
On forging a successful partnership with Sai Kishore, Ajith said: “We understand and complement each other well. My role is to set things up for him. In the process, both of us have been able to get wickets. We are doing well when bowling in tandem. We understand the situation and do what is required for the team. That is helping us.”
Brief scores: Goa 241 in 75.5 overs (Suyash Prabhudessai 104, KV Siddharth 69; R Sai Kishore 4-73, S Ajith Ram 3-46). Tamil Nadu 20-0 in 7 overs.