Lucknow: A fighting knock of 87 runs by Bengal batsman Abhimanyu Easwaran and a supporting 27 from Jaydev Unadkat saved India Blue the blushes after India Red dominated the entire day’s play on Tuesday.
Dinesh Karthik’s side who had ended the first day on 317/5 racked by a mammoth 483 in the first innings courtesy a brilliant 88-run knock from Washington Sundar. The 17-year-old hit six fours and five sixes to help his team settle for a huge total on the board which shifted the pressure back onto the opposition.
Bhargav Bhatt was the best bowler for India Blue, scalping four wickets while giving away 154 runs. Off-spinner Akshay Wakhare also was amongst the wickets with 3/95 of 28.2 overs.
In reply, India Blue got off to a good start with opener Easwaran and Srikar Bharat (8) putting on 51 runs. The right-handed Easwaran was then joined by Bengal skipper Manoj Tiwary and the duo played beautifully to stitch a 42-run stand. But after Tiwary fell to off-spinner Vijay Gohil for 25, things completely changed for India Blue as they lost the wickets of skipper Suresh Raina (1), Deepak Hooda (12) and Ishan Kishan (0) in quick succession.
Washington Sundar was in the act once again as he dismissed Raina and Kishan
while Gohil was the most successful bowler, with figures of 3/65 of 21 overs.
At 123/5, Easwaran and Unadkat then joined to see out the remainder of the day as they would look to atleast come close to the India Red first innings total on the third day as they still trail by 302 runs.
Brief scores-
India Red- 483 all out (Prithvi Shaw 154, Dinesh Karthik 111; Bhargav Bhatt 4/154) lead India Blue- (Abhimanyu Easwaran 87 n.o, Jaydev Unadkat 27 n.o; Vijay Gohil 3/65) by 302 runs.