Cuttack: Andhra strengthened their grip over Odisha on the second day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A clash at the Barabati Stadium, riding on a composed century from S K Rasheed to reach 381 for 6 by the time this report was filed on Sunday.
Resuming from their overnight score of 222 for 3, Andhra batters continued to frustrate the Odisha attack with disciplined batting. Young right-hander S K Rasheed, who began the day cautiously, went on to complete a well-crafted century, displaying patience and control against an inconsistent bowling effort.
Earlier, Andhra’s innings was anchored by a superb 161-run opening stand between K S Bharat and Abhishek Reddy. Bharat, the wicketkeeper-batter, narrowly missed out on a century, scoring 93 off 129 balls with 10 fours and three sixes, while Reddy contributed a solid 76 from 195 deliveries.
Odisha’s bowlers, led by Badal Biswal, Sambit Baral, and Deepak Behera, struggled to make inroads on a placid surface that continued to favour batters. The few wickets they managed came through perseverance rather than penetration, as Andhra’s batters remained in firm control throughout the first two sessions.
At 381 for 6, Andhra have set themselves up for a massive first-innings total, while Odisha face a tough road ahead to claw back into the contest when they come out to bat
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