Bhubaneswar: ‘So near yet so far’ would be apt for the Odisha team, who suffered a heartbreaking one-run loss in their Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh at New Delhi, Friday.
Chasing a competitive 278-run target, it all came down to 12 runs from the final over, bowled by PM Datey (3/65), with well-set Abhishek Raut (55 n o, 53b, 3×4, 2×6) and Krishna Pallai (5 n o) at the crease. They scored three runs in first four balls, before Rout sent one out of the park in the penultimate delivery, only to leave his side to get three off the final ball. Unfortunately they could manage only a single here after, reaching 276/8.
At the beginning of the chase, Odisha lost opener Rajesh Dhuper and skipper Govind Poddar to be reduced to 31/2 in 5.1 overs. However, the other opener Anurag Sarangi (78, 97b, 6×4, 2×6) and seasoned campaigner Biplab Samantray (53, 72b, 3×4, 1×6) made amends, adding 126 runs for the third wicket. The duo departed in the 31st over, bowled by Rameez Khan (4/49). New man Sujit Lenka’s dismissal in the next over added more misery as Odisha were reduced to 159/5.
Then it was all Raut, who managed to drag Odisha to the winning position with some useful support from the lower-order.
Earlier, opting to bat, MP were bowled out for 277. Yash Dubey (75, 77b, 6×4, 2×6) and Anshul Tripathi (52, 52b, 6×4) scored half centuries while Venkatesh Iyer (46, 48b, 3×4, 1×6) also played a useful innings.
Deepak Behera (3/38) bowled well for Odisha and he was ably supported by Poddar (2/47) and Suryakant Pradhan (2/51).
Brief scores
Madhya Pradesh 277 (Yash Dubey 75, Anshul Tripathi 52; Deepak Behera 3/38) bt Odisha 276/8 (Anurag Sarangi 78, Abhishek Rout 55 n o, Biplab Samantray 53; Rameez Khan 4/49) by one run.