Ranji Trophy Plate Group Final Bihar take 342-run lead against Manipur at stumps on Day 3

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Dec 24 : Bihar took a comfortable 342-run lead against Manipur at stumps on Day 3 of the Ranji Trophy Plate Group Final being underway at Moin Ul Haq Stadium, Patna.
Having posted a daunting total of 522 in the first innings (135.5 overs), Bihar restricted Manipur to 264 in 89.1 overs to take a 258-run innings lead earlier today and closed out the day at 84/2 (in 25 overs) to take a 342 run lead.
Resuming the day at 129/3 (40 overs) with Ng Johnson 22 (48) and M Ronald 38 (82) on the crease, the duo gathered  27 more runs to forge a 77-run partnership until Johnson holed out to Bipin Saurabh on 34 off the bowling of Prashant Kumar, who also pinned K Priyojit lbw on 16 to reduce Manipur to 178/5 in 73.5 overs.
Ronald then completed his half century with Pheiroijam Jotin on the other end of the crease but their 45-run partnership ended with Jotin getting dismissed by Akash Raj on 25 for the 6th wicket.
Ronald also saw incoming Rex 13 and Kishan Singha 19 depart in quick succession to Suraj Kashyap before his stay ended on 211-ball 79 for the 9th wicket in the 3rd delivery of the 89th over.
Suraj Kashyap then completed his treble by bowling out Bishworjit on 1 to return with the best bowling figures of 3/34 as Prashant Kumar Singh (2/60) and Himanshu Singh (2/38) returned with two-wicket hauls.
Khalid (1/35) and Akash Raj (1/38) also chipped in a wicket apiece for Bihar in the innings.
Bihar then kicked off their second winnings with Mahrour 31 off 57 and Piyush Kumar Singh adding 65 runs for the first wicket before Jotin got rid of Mahrour in the 18th over.
The State bowlers exerted further pressure with the fine delivery performances and Jotin collected his second scalp by removing one down batter Ayush Loharuka on a 13-ball duck to reduce Bihar to 67/2 in 21.2 overs.
Piyush Kumar (32 not out off 63) and Akash Raj (12 not out off 17) were unbeaten when the day was called.
Earlier in their first innings, Bihar raised a commanding total thanks to century knocks from S Gani (108 off 155) and Bipin Saurabh (143) and half century knocks from Akash Raj (50 off 101) and Suraj Kashyap (83 off 104).
For Manipur, RK Rex was the pick of the bowlers finishing with 4/117 in 32 overs as K Bishworjit (2/92 in 23.5 overs) and Pheiroijam Jotin (2/74 in 24 overs) shared another four wickets. Kishan Singha meanwhile returned with 1/116 in 37 overs.