Mohanty`s fifer ensures three points for Odisha against Vidarbha in Ranji Trophy

Nagpur: Medium pacer Basant Mohanty returned with a five-wicket haul to ensure the all-important first innings lead for Odisha in their Ranji Trophy Group A match against Vidarbha, which ended in a tame draw here today.

Mohanty starred with the ball for Odisha with figures of 5-59 to bowl out Vidarbha for 382 in their first innings in reply to the visitor`s 453 for six declared. Starting at the overnight score of 199 for three, Vidarbha could add only 183 runs in the fourth and final day before being bundled out in 169.1 overs. Vidarbha witnessed a disastrous start to the day as overnight centurion Faiz Fazal (124) was cleaned up by Deepak Behera (1/47) in the very first delivery of the morning. Veterans Hemang Badani (65) and Rashmi Parida (60) played good hands but Vidarbha kept losing wickets at regular intervals to hurt their cause. Both Badani and Parida hit identical seven boundaries during their 207 and 130-ball knocks. Vidarbha skipper Shalabh Srivastava made a patient 27 before being run out. Mohanty cleaned up the Vidarbha tail, claiming the wickets of Parida, Shrikant Wagh (24), Shrikant Ruikar (35) and Amol Jungade (14). Odisha take home three points from the match by virtue of 71 runs first innings lead, while Vidarbha had to be satisfied with one point. Brief Scores: Odisha 1st innings: 453 for six decl Vidarbha 1st innings: 382 all out in 169.1 overs (Faiz Fazal 124, Hemang Badani 65, Rashmi Parida 60; Basant Mohanty 5/59).