CHENNAI: K Ajay Singh's 5/51 (24.4-5-51-5) came in handy for Rajasthan as they bagged a lead of 89 runs over Tamil Nadu on Day Three of their Ranji Trophy opener at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Tuesday.
C Andre Siddarth was the only one who could adapt to the surface and showed the patience to make a valuable 81. Washington Sundar was stranded on 26 as wickets fell at the other end like a pack of cards. Once Siddarth was out, the visitors folded as they lost their last five wickets for 10 runs as the left-arm spinner ran through the lower-order.
Tamil Nadu tried to wrest back some control to force the issue but after losing four wickets for 31, the hosts had moved on to 81 without losing any further wickets. With just one day remaining, they now lead by 170 and look odds on to make the first innings lead count.
Mahipal Lomror (25 batting) and Kartik Sharma (30 batting) were with their pads on when stumps were drawn.
Tamil Nadu began the in earnest with Siddarth and Sonu Yadav at the crease and hopes of playing out the day and taking a lead, but that was not to be.
Sonu, who has the ability to score runs at a fast clip, was unlucky to be run out. Siddarth hit Manav Suthar towards deep midwicket. Ajay ran in from the boundary and threw the ball to the wicketkeeper. When Sonu turned for the second run, he slipped, while Siddarth made it back to the striker's end. Sonu was run out at the bowler's end.
Washington joined Siddarth and the duo slowly, but steadily, kept the scoreboard moving, Siddarth, who knows how to play at a quick pace, sacrificed flamboyance and preferred to stonewall and the pair added 61 runs for the sixth wicket
The 20-year-old was dismissed when he went on the back foot to cut and missed the line to be castled by Ajay. Soon, Nidhish Rajagopal played an uppish cover drive to be caught in the covers by Sumit Godara off left-arm medium pacer Akash Singh.
''The idea in the morning was to bat as long as possible. The wicket was assisting bowlers and three wickets fell (quickly). I just played to the merit of the ball. This is not my best innings under pressure,'' Siddarth told The New Indian Express.
Credit must also go to Manav Suthar for shuffling his bowlers well. Whenever a new batter came in, he brought in into the attack and was suitably rewarded.
Knowing they were short on time and behind the eight ball, TN skipper R Sai Kishore opened the bowling and he was immediately rewarded with the wicket of Sachin Yadav. Three more wickets fell to raise visions of a big fightback but since then, the hosts buckled down with the duo of Lomror and Kartik Sharma being patient.