CHENNAI: Gurjapneet Singh's 4 for 75 and DT Chandrasekar's 3 for 69 came in handy for Tamil Nadu to bag a lead of 66 runs against Nagaland on the final day of the drawn match of the Group A Ranji Trophy tie played at BCCI CoE grounds, Bengaluru on Tuesday.
Nagaland were all out for 446 in 157.4 overs. Tamil Nadu got three points by virtue of the lead. Nagaland got one point. Dega Nischal made 175 while Imliwati Lemtur made 146. The duo added 230 runs for the sixth wicket and brought their team close to Tamil Nadu's total.
Dega was caught behind by Athish as he was outdone by a change of pace. He missed a good chance to make a double hundred and perhaps even guide his side to take the lead. Imliwati, who got his maiden hundred, fell leg before wicket to R Sai Kishore.
Tamil Nadu chief coach M Senthilnathan was disappointed that his team could not get full points but keeping in mind the surface, he was content that they got three points. "We were able to manage three points. That's what I'm looking at," said Senthilnathan.
The Tamil Nadu batters did a good job by posting 500-plus runs on the board, but their bowlers lacked penetration and let Nagaland, who were at one stage reeling at 31/4, off the hook.
"The wicket was too flat. I have never seen this kind of a wicket. Even on the fourth day, we can't see a single mark on, a good mark or where the ball can turn. Nothing is happening, It's (ball) coming straight," he added.
On this surface, Tamil Nadu sorely missed the services of Ajith Ram, who was injured and not part of the team.
"He (Ajith ram) used to really give a big hand for the team when Sai (Kishore) was not getting wickets, he was getting wickets and giving them breaks. So now we don't have him and we will try to get the best out of whatever we have. We can't keep saying we don't have Washington Sundar, Sai Sudarshan. We are missing so many people. The next game is going to be at home. One thing we have learnt is we can get points only by really hard work. So that's very clear, nothing was given to us easily. So we will take this as a lesson and we will work hard," said Senthilnathan.
Pushing to get ready for second half of tournament: Ajith Ram
Ajith Ram, who is on a path to recovery, could be back for the second-half of the tournament. He had suffered a knee injury while playing the TNPL in June. After that he underwent an ACL surgery in Mumbai. "I am getting better. Rehab is going on. I am pushing to get ready for the second half of the tournament which is in January. I am progressing well. I will start running in a few weeks," Ajith Ram told The New Indian Express.
Ajith Ram shed some light on his thought-process that has helped him become a threat with the ball. "Nothing different. I just try to bowl in a particular spot. Try to, you know, bowl according to the situation, see what the batsman is trying to do and bowl accordingly. But most of my stock delivery will be on the stumps."
"And hitting good lengths. So, I will try to keep doing that repeatedly. And sometimes, batsmen make mistakes. And in that process, runs also won't go the oppositions' way. So, I try to just bowl at one place for a longer time," he added.
Tami Nadu's Pradosh Ranjan Paul, meanwhile, was adjudged Man of the Match for his double hundred.
