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Tamil Nadu faced a strong challenge from Karnataka in Chennai as Ganesh Satish and KB Pawan led them to a strong 239 for 3•K Sivaraman

Odisha made Delhi work hard for their wickets, but the hosts put in the hard work to end the day hopeful of an outright win. Their quicks persevered even as Odisha resisted, and by stumps Odisha were only 41 ahead with four wickets in hand.Govind Podder was the main irritant for Delhi, scoring 85 runs and denying the hosts for close to three-and-a-half hours. He added 84 for the third wicket with Biplab Samantray. Sumit Narwal, though, found a way to hit Podder’s stumps. Narwal had also scored crucial 66 runs to help Delhi build up the lead.That wasn’t the end of the resistance as Samantray and Natraj Behera added 59 to make sure Delhi will have to bat again. Pawan Suyal now found Samantray’s wicket, and two more fell quickly to send Odisha from 202 for 3 to 225 for 6. Behera, their last hope, was still at the wicket, unbeaten on 35.
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In a match that is bad news for spin enthusiasts in India, only seven wickets have fallen in three days on a square turner. Spin was introduced as early as the sixth over of the match. Keeping in with the Tamil Nadu trend, all six of whose batsmen scored at least fifty, no Karnataka batsman, with the exception of Manish Pandey, fell before reaching the half-century.They ended the day at 239 for 3, needing another 300 to take the first-innings lead. If neither Karnataka are bowled out nor 539 is reached, both teams will have to do with one point each.The scores, though, are misleading. They suggest an airport road, but it simply wasn’t the case. The ball jumped, kicked, turned a long way throughout the three days, but the wickets just didn’t arrive.Robin Uthappa was the first to reach fifty on the third day, but fell playing across the line soon after. KB Pawan, who looked good for much more, scooped a full toss from part-timer Abhinav Mukund to mid-on. Pandey edged M Rangarajan behind, raising Tamil Nadu’s hopes at 184 for 3, but Ganesh Satish and Amit Verma batted out the 25.4 overs to stumps.
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Yusuf Pathan smashed 78 off 36 balls to lend energy to a meandering match, giving Baroda enough time to push for an outright win over Vidarbha. Before Yusuf’s intervention, Baroda had claimed the three first-innings points through a century from Abhimanyu Chauhan, but the rest didn’t show much intent to set up a declaration.Rakesh Solanki, too, got a hundred, but at a strike-rate of 40. However, Yusuf walked in at 364 for 4 in 139.2 overs and left at 473 in 147.5. The game’s complexion had changed through his six fours and five sixes, and Baroda could now ask Vidarbha to bat before stumps. And in those four overs Firdaush Bhaja bowled Aniruddha Chore to leave Vidarbha needing 247 to make Baroda bat again.
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Another pitch has produced just seven wickets over three days, but this one is a bona fide airport runway. Which is perhaps why Maharashtra didn’t look too keen to declare despite crossing 700 on the second evening. They even added 26 on the third morning before finally asking Uttar Pradesh to bat.The worst fears about the pitch came true when UP cruised to 287 for 1 by stumps. Mukul Dagar joined Jiwanjot Singh and Paras Dogra as centurions in both the matches of Ranji Trophy so far. This was his second century in a three-match career. Tanmay Srivastava scored his seventh first-class century. The only wicket went to part-timer Kedar Jadhav, who scored a triple-century on day two.If Maharashtra can’t do better with the ball on the final day, a first-innings result will not be achieved. Both the teams will get a point each, and the local association might have to face questions regarding the quality of the pitch.For more on the third day’s play from Pune, click here.

Stumps
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Yet another fine exhibition of seam bowling from Sreesanth led India’s inexorable march towards their first Test win in South Africa. Up against a history-defying 402-run target, South Africa limped to a shaky 163 for 5 and would hope for either inclement weather or a minor miracle to escape unscathed.Once VVS Laxman and Zaheer Khan had helped stretch the lead to beyond 400 the new-ball bowlers delivered an encore of yesterday’s performance. Sreesanth’s immaculate seam position, allied with impressive, yet unlucky, spells from Zaheer and VRV Singh reduced South Africa to 34 for 3. Ashwell Prince’s doughty 53, involving moments of good fortune, held the middle-order together and stretched the game into the fourth day.Zaheer followed up his handy 37 with an excellent spell of bowling, both with the new and old ball, as well as managing a sharp direct-hit to get rid of AB de Villiers. He got only one wicket, when Herschelle Gibbs drove recklessly in the solitary over he had to play out before lunch, but the movement he managed, both conventional and reverse, had all the batsmen in a tangle.His new-ball partner, Sreesanth, matched him for accuracy – his ability to keep the seam upright on almost every occasion meant there was no letting up – and was rewarded with three top-order wickets. Graeme Smith flayed a wide one only to see Virender Sehwag latch on to a spectacular catch at point while Hashim Amla had no answer to a peach of an outswinger that kissed the edge on its way to the wicketkeeper. Jacques Kallis resisted with a fighting 24 but a near-perfect set up – the shorter one being followed up with a full, swinging ball – had him groping.Prince cobbled together a dogged half-century, surviving a half-chance and a perilously close appeal for caught behind. His penchant for the pull shot almost cost him his wicket when on 21 but Wasim Jaffer couldn’t latch on to a tough skier while running from midwicket. Sreesanth’s darting off-cutter appeared to have nailed him when on 44, with the ball deviating after passing the bat, but Daryl Harper turned down a huge shout. Replays suggested that it was too close a call and Prince was probably given the benefit of the doubt.

South Africa’s hopes of cleaning up India’s lower order had earlier come to nought, with Laxman and Zaheer thwarting them with a 70-run stand. Laxman swooshed his way to an entertaining half-century but it was Zaheer who blasted India to an impregnable position. Zaheer walked in after South Africa had nailed two early wickets and took 25 deliveries to get off the mark, cautiously ducking and defending as Laxman ticked along, but he was suddenly stirred into action. Pollock’s fuller deliveries were juddered across the line, piercing the gap between midwicket and mid-on, before Smith, sending down his innocuous offspinners, was carted for 26 off his three overs. Smith couldn’t hold on to a ferocious Zaheer straight-drive but he was lucky not to have incurred a major hand injury.Laxman switched between blocking and flowing. Anything on the pads was delicately clipped away and a couple of jaw-dropping straight drives demoralised South Africa further. He shepherded the lower order and his tentative poke at a probing ball from Ntini was one of the few indiscretions all morning. Zaheer fell soon after but the real entertainment was just about to begin.Sreesanth decided to match Nel antic for antic – returning glares and sledges. Nel’s aggressive salvo was met with a charge down the track, with the ball disappearing for six, but Sreesanth followed that up with a brand of hip gyrations that was accomplished enough to make it in the movies. There was a distinct needle in the contest and Sreesanth swirling the bat like a lasso with a pelvic thrust of a break-dancer was definitely the highpoint. For once Nel probably met his match.Short cuts
By Dileep Premachandran in Jo’burg
Highlight of the day: The morning session saw the battle of the twonutters. After Sreesanth backed away to the leg side and tried to mow adelivery over the infield, Andre Nel strode up and pointed to his heart,perhaps suggesting that Sreesanth lacked the ticker to take him on. He mayas well have donned a sequined suit, and waved a red cape. The next ballwas given the charge and pummelled straight down the ground, and as he randown the pitch, Sreesanth whirled his bat around mockingly in Nel’sdirection. Almost everyone watching had a laughter attack.Lowlight of the day: Soon after that, Sreesanth revealed the unsavouryside of his game by giving Hashim Amla a send-off after having him caughtbehind. To mock and sledge the likes of Nel and Mark Boucher is one thing,but to pick on someone like Amla, and that too after dismissing him, wasin singularly poor taste.

Shot of the day: VVS Laxman missed out on a century, but his 73 featuredone glorious straight-drive off Makhaya Ntini. It wasn’t a particularlybad ball, but the sound as Laxman’s bat arced down to stroke it to thelong-on fence was quite beautiful.Ball of the day: Jacques Kallis was the beacon of hope for South Africa asthey set off in pursuit of an improbable 402 for victory, and once again,it required a tremendous delivery to get rid of him. Sreesanth pitched onejust outside off stump, enticed the drive, and the away movement off theseam took the edge to third slip. Sourav Ganguly took a superb catch infront of his ribcage, and it became a matter of when, rather than if,India would win.Catch of the day: Graeme Smith’s miserable season continued with a sliceto point that was brilliantly taken by Virender Sehwag diving to hisright. It wasn’t a great delivery from Sreesanth, and on a good day Smithmight have sent it thudding into the boundary boards at point. Such days,however, are proving increasingly elusive for South Africa’s embattledcaptain.Message of the day: A poll on the SABC Sport website asks viewers: Goingby India’s performance in South Africa, what will be the scoreline in theTest series. The options are 1-0, 2-0, 3-0 (all in favour of South Africa)and a draw. But after three glorious days for the Indians at the Wanderers,it’s easy to forget what easy-beats they were thought to be going into thegame.Off the park: Kallis’s failure to engage his vocal cords when the SouthAfrican national anthem is played was highlighted in a Sunday newspaper,and while most agreed that it was a case of making Mount Kilimanjaro outof an ant-heap, the brusque nature of Kallis’s emailed response will havewon him few admirers. There’s a perception that some of the world’s bestsportsmen live in a cocoon, utterly divorced from reality, and the feelingis reinforced by such events.

Tyron Henderson, the East London allrounder, is set to leave South Africa for a stint with English county Kent. Kent recently released Justin Kemp in order for the South African allrounder to recover from niggling injuries and be fit for future one-day assignments as well as the 2007 World Cup, and in his place has stepped Henderson.Henderson, the Standard Bank Pro20 cricketer of the year in 2004-05, has a reputation of being a destructive batsman with a strike rate of 152.22 in Pro20 cricket. His canny fast-medium bowling has been seen as a plus. Against Western Province, he finished with the outstanding figures of 2 for 8 off four overs, the best figures by any bowler in Pro20 cricket. He has even represented his country’s A team as well as in the Hong Kong Sixes last season.Henderson has been slated for a Twenty20 debut against Essex at Canterbury on Tuesday, followed by games against Surrey at The Oval and Middlesex at Lord’s later in the week. Kent have also reported that he may play certain Pro40 limited-overs matches and the eight remaining county games.Henderson, who made his first-class debut for Border in 1998-99, has signed a contract to play for the Highveld Lions next summer.

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South Zone defended a small target with enthusiasm and defeated North Zone by 30 runs in the league stage of the Deodhar Trophy at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The result meant that West Zone were ensured of the title with two league games yet to be played.Put in to bat on a seaming, bouncy pitch, South Zone struggled from 82 for 5 to post a modest total of 191 in 44.3 overs. But their new-ball bowlers fought back superbly to skittle North Zone for 161 in 46.4 overs.South owed their decent score to a patient half-century from S Badrinath. Half their side, including captain VVS Laxman, had been packed off cheaply, by the North pace bowlers led by Delhi youngster Ishant Sharma (3 for 51).Badrinath and wicketkeeper Tilak Naidu (31) put on 44 runs to stem the rot before Ashish Nehra came back for his second spell to polish off the tail. He ended with 3 for 27.North Zone, who needed to win the match with a bonus point to keep their slim title hopes alive, lost their top half for 49 against the South Zone’s new-ball attack led by Andhra’s KS Sahabuddin. He snapped up two wickets in his sixth over and finished with 4 for 30. North Zone will take on East Zone on March 10 while South Zone will clash with West Zone in the last tie on March 11.

ScorecardFile photo – Shreyas Gopal picked up four wickets•BCCI

Govinda Poddar’s fourth first-class ton was the only bright spot in Odisha’s innings which was terminated for 232 by Karnataka’s bowlers in Mysore.Electing to bat, Odisha lost Natraj Behera in the third ball of the innings to Karnataka captain Vinay Kumar, but Poddar, along with Rajesh Dhuper, added 42 runs for the second wicket. However, after Dhuper was dismissed by Stuart Binny, two more wickets fell in quick succession to leave the visitors struggling on 73 for 4.Poddar and Pratik Das, then, added 93 runs for the fifth wicket before Udit Patel had Pratik caught by Binny. There was little resistance in the Odisha innings thereafter, as legspinner Shreyas Gopal and left-arm spinner J Suchith spliced through the lower order. Poddar was the ninth man out, bowled by Suchith. Gopal and Suchith finished with seven wickets between them.
Scorecard.Seamer Navdeep Saini’s six-wicket haul, his maiden five-for in first-class cricket, shot out Maharashtra for 80 inside 26 overs at the Feroz Shah Kotla.Electing to bat, Maharashtra were reduced to 8 for 3, with Saini accounting for all the wickets, including those of captain Rohit Motwani and Kedar Jadhav. Harshad Khadiwale, who top-scored with 21, and Ankit Bawne did some damage control with a 38-run alliance. But, once Saini had Khadiwale lbw, Maharashtra were on a freefall and their innings didn’t last more than two hours.Delhi’s reply began as shakily as the visitors’ innings, with openers Gautam Gambhir and Unmukt Chand dismissed inside four overs to leave them on 9 for 2. However, a 99-run partnership between Dhruv Shorey and Nitish Rana steered them out of trouble, and Delhi ended the day with a lead of 77 runs.
ScorecardBengal squandered a strong start after being put into bat by Vidarbha in Kolkata. Openers Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sayan Mondal put on 118 runs, but after Easwaran was caught behind off Shrikant Wagh, the hosts’ innings began to disintegrate, as they slipped from 118 for 1 to 140 for 4.A 42-run stand between Sudip Chatterjee and Pramod Chandila helped Bengal stage a mini-recovery before offspinner Akshay Wakhare, who claimed four wickets, prised out Chandila. Wicketkeeper Amol Ubarhande collected five dismissals.
ScorecardAssam seamer Krishna Das and Dhiraj Goswami picked up seven wickets between them after Haryana opted to bat in Rohtak. Only Himanshu Rana and Rohit Sharma resisted for Haryana, adding 73 for the third wicket. But, apart from them, only one more batsman managed to reach double figures.

Shoaib Akhtar has been fined by Pakistan’s team management in South Africa for his role in a televised spat with Bob Woolmer, the Pakistan coach, during the second Test at Port Elizabeth, as details of what actually transpired emerge.A PCB official confirmed to Cricinfo that Talat Ali, Pakistan’s manager, had fined Shoaib an undisclosed amount – US$2500 according to unconfirmed reports – and the matter was likely to be investigated further. “He has been fined for that incident and we will look into the matter further. The chairman is there in South Africa so they will discuss the issue,” he said.The incident occurred on the second morning of the Test, TV cameras capturing pictures of a clearly incensed Shoaib having a heated discussion with Woolmer. Inzamam-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, was seen to placate matters shortly after.Woolmer told Cricinfo that there was an argument, but refused to go into further details about the nature of the incident. “Shoaib and I did have a disagreement. It got heated as well, which was unfortunate and maybe could have been handled better,” he said.He also denied, categorically, that he had threatened to resign at any stage, as reported in an Urdu newspaper, , if no action was taken against Shoaib. “That is just rumour-mongering. I did no such thing at all and neither do I intend to. Talat Ali has taken the action he felt appropriate and that was his decision.”Though there are conflicting reports, it appears that the argument was over Shoaib’s fitness. Having arrived in South Africa ahead of the second Test – he was left out of the squad originally because he was considered unfit – Shoaib lit up the first day, taking four wickets in 11 overs to help bundle out the hosts for a paltry 124. But in a twist typical of much of his career, Shoaib picked up a hamstring injury and told the team management during morning practice on the second day that he could not bowl any more in the Test.”After he told the management, his commitment was questioned,” eyewitnesses told Cricinfo. “It was a crucial Test and obviously he was needed to bowl in the second innings. But Shoaib argued that the injury was genuine and was picked up during his first-day spell, because of the heavy ground he was bowling on. Naturally there was frustration and it carried on in the dressing room, where cameras got hold of it. The situation threatened to turn ugly there but Inzi intervened eventually.”Since the argument, a doctor in South Africa confirmed a hamstring injury though it was uncertain about how long it would keep him out. One report suggested he was out for two weeks while another said he was “fifty-fifty” for the third Test. In the end, the management decided to send him back to Pakistan, along with Umar Gul who is carrying an ankle injury.The incident caps what appears to be a strangely dysfunctional tour thus far for Pakistan. While results on the field have been promising – and a five-wicket series leveling win was memorable – off the field there has been tension and growing frustration within the camp, especially over the long injury list.Gul and Shoaib Malik have been injured since almost the beginning of the tour and apart from Shoaib’s single-day return, Mohammad Hafeez and Inzamam have also suffered niggles and knocks. It is also being said that Inzamam is deeply unhappy with the selection committee for first having Shoaib hoisted upon him and then for not allowing Shabbir Ahmed to go as cover for the third Test. Inzamam had asked for him, but the request was turned down by the selection committee, who understandably don’t want to stand accused of sending another unfit player on tour.

Group A

An 87-run partnership between Ammar Mahmood and Imran Ahmed enabled Faisalabad to reach a respectable 243 for 8 after being put into bat by Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) at the Iqbal Stadium. Adopting a defensive strategy against the bowlers, both batsmen took their time scoring and it was only a late flurry of wickets – Faisalabad losing 3 wickets without any addition to the score – that left them struggling to reach the 300-mark against a disciplined WAPDA bowling attack. Kashif Raza, the right-arm medium pacer, was the pick of the bowlers, grabbing three wickets while Azharullah and Aqeel Ahmed grabbed a brace each.Reaching 34 for 1 after skittling out Hyderabad for 227 in their first innings, Sui Southern Gas Corporation (SSGC) ended the opening day with the upper hand as they trail by only 193 runs here at the Iqbal Stadium. The home side never really recovered after losing their first wicket without any score as Sohail Kahn (4 for 68), with useful contributions from the other bowlers, created pressure that brought regular breakthroughs. Although Pir Zulfiqar and Kashif Bhatti did add a valuable 81 for the eighth wicket, SSGC’s smart bowling changes paid dividends in dismissing their opponents cheaply.A five-wicket haul by Mohammad Wasim, Sialkot’s young fast-bowler, restricted Karachi Whites to a modest 242 for 8, a total only possible due to grinding knocks by Javed Mansoor (72 off 168) and Test-discard Asim Kamal (62 off 99) at the UBL Sports Complex in Karachi. With half the side back in the pavillion for only 78 after Mohammad Sami won the toss and elected to bat, Kamal added 67 for the sixth wicket and Mansoor’s unbeaten 74-run ninth-wicket partnership with Misbah Khan took the hosts past 200 after three quick wickets. Wasim, playing only his fourth first-class match, picked up three of the first five wickets to fall and returned to capture two more to place his side in a driving position.Thirteen wickets fell in just under 65 overs at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground as Lahore Ravi finished on 61 for 3, only 51 runs being Pakistan Customs’ first-innings score of 112. Junaid Zia inspired a late-order collapse that saw the visitors lose their last four wickets for only five runs as none of the batsmen managed to make any impact. Asif Iqbal top-scored with a patient 27 as Zia captured 6 for 34 to leave Customs in dire straits. The tourists, however, did hit back to have Ravi’s opener dismissed without scoring. Two late wickets by Sajjad Hussain alowed his side a mini fightback as they defend their paltry total on the second day.Multan were left ruing their decision to field first at the Gymkhana Ground as centuries by Rashid Riaz and Naumanullah guided National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) to a healthy 307 for 1. A solid opening partnership for NBP saw Riaz add 60 with Nasir Jamshed but after Jamshed’s dismissal for 37, Multan failed to pick up any more wickets even as they tried eight different bowlers. With the likes of Shahid Yousuf, Naved Latif and Mansoor Amjad to follow, Abdur Rauf, Multan captain, has a massive job on his hands to restrict NBP to a first-innings total that his team can match and avoid a huge loss.

Group B

Former internationals Abdul Razzaq and Mohammad Khalil tore through the Islamabad batting lineup and skittled the hosts out for only 95 in only 28 overs at the Diamond Club Ground. Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited, in reply, scored 118 for 5 at close, a lead of 23 on only the first day of the match. Islamabad’s innings got off to a disastrous start as both openers fell without scoring after Razzaq won the toss and elected to field. Razzaq (4 for 38) and Khalil (6 for 45) bowled unchanged throughout the Islamabad’s innings and sparked a collapse that saw the hosts all out after being well-placed at 53 for 2 at one stage. Rauf Akbar and Shehzad Azam hit back with two wickets apiece later on in the day but Islamabad will need a huge effort from all its bowlers to have any chance of salvaging a draw, or a win, in the match.A late-order fightback by Mohammad Hussain and Ali Raza allowed some respectability to Lahore Shalimar’s total against Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) at the Gadaffi Stadium as they reached 201 for 6 at close. Hussain (50*) and Raza (62*) came together at the score of 92 as KRL enjoyed its decision to field first after winning the toss. The tourists employed eight different bowlers to capitalise on the good start given by Yasir Arafat and Jaffar Nazir but Hussain and Raza mixed aggression with defence to guide their team past 200, a total that looked impossible at one stage in the innings.An Inamullah-inspired collapse helped Peshawar dismiss Pakistan International Airlines for 229 – the tourists were well-placed at 194 for 4 at one stage – at the Arbab Niaz Stadium. A couple of minor collapses did set back PIA’s progress early on but a century partnership between Shoaib Khan (68) and Fahad Iqbal (54) set them up for a huge total before Inamullah initiated a flurry of wickets. Peshawar openers safely negotiated the seven deliveries before close and scored two off it to get their reply underway.An aggressive 255-run partnership between Shoaib Khan and Nasim Khan guided Quetta to 355 for 4 against Abbottabad at the Bugti Stadium. Coming together at 100 for 4 after a decent performance by the touring bowlers, Shoaib (165*) and Nasim (135*) flayed the same bowlers to all parts of the ground as they hit 33 fours between them. Abbottabad tried eight bowlers to unsettle the partnership but failed to add to the four early wickets as the home side look all set to build a huge first-innings total.Saleem Mughal and Khurram Shehzad added 118 runs for the fifth wicket as Sui Northern Gas Pipelines reached 249 for 4 against Rawalpindi at the KRL Ground. Umar Akmal (61 off 83) led his side to to 119 for 3 before Yasir Ali picked up two quick wickets to leave the northerners in a state of bother. Mughal and Shehzad, however, safely played out what the Rawalpindi bowlers offered to place their team in a driving position at close.

Hasan Mohsin starred with bat and ball as Pakistan Under-19s defended 212 to beat Sri Lanka Under-19s by 23 runs and finish top of Group B. Pakistan will take on West Indies in the quarter-finals while Sri Lanka will meet England.Sent in to bat, Pakistan made slow progress at first, and their run rate was still below four an over when Wanidu Hasaranga dismissed Salman Fayyaz (33) in the 41st over to end his 61-run stand with Mohsin. Wickets fell steadily at the other end, with none of bottom five getting into double figures, but Mohsin ensured he dragged Pakistan to a competitive total, and was ninth out for a run-a-ball 86 with eight fours and a six. Pakistan were bowled out for 212 in the 49th over.Opening the bowling with his gentle seam-up, Mohsin then gave Pakistan two early breakthroughs, dismissing both Sri Lankan openers. Sri Lanka slipped to 63 for 4 when the in-form pair of Charith Asalanka and Shammu Ashan got out to soft dismissals against the spinners, but Kamindu Mendis and Vishad Randika got the chase back on track with an 84-run stand for the fifth wicket. Just when Sri Lanka seemed to be cruising home, though, Mendis holed out to long-on for 68 (104b, 5×4), and Hasaranga and Randika (46 off 71) followed him soon after. Damitha Silva kept Sri Lanka in the hunt for a while with an unbeaten 21, but the lower order fell away around him, with legspinner Shadab Khan picking up the last two wickets to finish with figures of 3 for 31.

Cricket Australia is considering an out-of-competition drug code for all first-class players, and the new system could be in place before the 2007-08 season begins. That would bring CA in line with other leading Australian sporting bodies including the Australian Football League (AFL) and the National Rugby League (NRL).The proposal would mean CA could have cricketers tested on non-match days, while the current World Anti-Doping Agency-testing of players on match days would remain. Paul Marsh, the CEO of the Australian Cricketers’ Association, said players would be asked for their input on the idea.”Cricket is not immune from illicit drugs and we believe there is a duty of responsibility to explore avenues of developing a uniform code,” Marsh told the . “But it’s about dialogue with our members and that’s why we’ve enlisted an outside company to put together a formal survey that will be comprehensive. It’s up to our members to let us know what concerns they have and we’ll then formulate a plan going forward.”It is unclear whether CA, which was scheduled to discuss the issue at a board meeting today, would favour a zero-tolerance policy or consider copying the approach used by the AFL, where a player is not identified until their third offence. “We are conscious cricket is Australia’s favourite sport and our players are viewed as role models, so it’s our responsibility we look at creating an appropriate culture,” a CA spokesman said.

ScorecardFile photo: Dishant Yagnik took Rajasthan home with an unbeaten 16•Sakshi Telugu Daily

Rajasthan stole a slender two-wicket win against Odisha by chasing down 230 in the last innings on the third day in Jaipur. Rajasthan turned things around despite being routed for 51 in their first innings, which is the second-lowest first-innings total to win a Ranji Trophy match.Rajasthan were 79 for 2 overnight, still 151 away, and lost Puneet Yadav (59) after he scored only three runs on the third morning. They lost two more wickets – Tanveer-Ul-Haq (21) and Ashok Menaria (20) – in quick succession and were struggling at 118 for 5 before Rajat Bhatia (31) and Siddharth Dobal rescued them with a stand of 76 runs to take them close to 200. However, Bhatia was dismissed by Basant Mohanty and Dobal went on to register a fifty before he too was removed by Mohanty for a run-a-ball 52. From 210 for 7, Rajasthan lost Aniket Choudhary too at the score of 223 but Dishant Yagnik (16*) and Pankaj Singh (8*) held their nerves to take six points.
Scorecard Right-arm seamer Mukesh Kumar, playing his third first-class match, and Pragyan Ojha shared six wickets between them to wipe Assam out for 143 in 54.4 overs. Resuming on 1 for 4, after Ashok Dinda had scythed through the top order on the second day, Assam lost Amit Verma to Ojha to 9. Tarjinder Singh, aided by contributions from Arun Karthik (30) and Syed Mohammed (31), mounted some resistance but Assam were asked to follow on.They fared much better in their second dig, reaching 72 for 2 before bad light curbed another day in Guwahati. Opener Pallav Kumar Das (28*) and Gokul Sharma (8*) stayed unbeaten after Aamir Gani dismissed Rahul Hazarika and Amit.
ScorecardRavi Jangid followed his third first-class century with figures of 4 for 44 as Haryana were bowled out for 241 and asked to follow on. Haryana’s steady opening partnership of 118 between Nitin Saini and Chaitanya Bishnoi showed only little of what was to follow.It was offspinner Akshay Wakhare who broke the stand when he got rid of Bishnoi for 47. Saini reached hid fifty but was bowled by Jangid soon after. He made light work of the middle order before Shamsher Yadav become the second half-centurion of the innings. However, Aditya Sarwate collected four wickets of his own to perform the final rites on the innings.Jangid was at it again, removing the openers in Haryana’s second innings. Saini had a good start again, but did not convert it into a big score. Mohit Hooda and Rohit Sharma managed to survive till stumps but Vidarbha are on course to seal their quarter-final spot.
ScorecardFifties from Shrikant Mundhe and Rahul Tripathi set Karnataka a target of 293 in Pune. The double-treble winning defending champions lost R Samarth to Nikit Dhumal, who took his match tally to four, but Mayank Agarwal and Robin Uthappa scored at a fairly brisk clip as Karnataka closed the day at 61 for 1 in 15 overs.Earlier, Tripathi, who started the day on 31, went onto make 78 before he was undone by S Aravind. Kedar Jhadav and Vishant More failed to build on starts but Mundhe, coming in at No.8, struck 81 off 150 balls, including seven fours and two sixes to push Maharashtra to 260. Vinay Kumar was the pick of the bowlers for Karnataka, claiming figures of 4 for 71.