Cooch Behar Elite Cricket Goa Takes Valuable First-Innings Lead
Panaji: Goa dominated the third day of the Cooch Behar Trophy Elite cricket match, securing a valuable 27-run first-innings lead over Bengal. Replying to Bengal’s first-innings total of 325 all out, Goa posted 352 all out in 113.3 overs. With this crucial advantage, Goa will earn first-innings points if the match ends in a draw. At stumps on Day 3, Bengal were batting aggressively in their second innings, reaching 185 for 4 in 31 overs, leading by 158 runs. On Thursday, the final day, Goa will aim to bowl out Bengal quickly and push for an outright win. The match is being played at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground in Kalyani.
Resuming from the overnight score of 201 for 6, Goa built their innings strongly. Overnight batters Aradhya and Chigurupati Venkata completed well-deserved half-centuries. Aradhya Goyal scored 54 runs off 132 balls with 8 fours. Chigurupati Venkata narrowly missed his century by just three runs, scoring an excellent 97 off 177 balls with 12 fours. The pair added 94 runs for the seventh wicket.
Off-spinner Mihir Kudalkar made a crucial contribution, both stabilising the innings and extending Goa’s lead. He scored a valuable 51 off 109 balls and stitched a vital 102-run partnership with Venkata for the eighth wicket. Venkata was the last man dismissed. For Bengal, Rohit Das claimed 4 wickets, Rohit & Sachin Yadav took 2 each, while Shivam Bharti and Agastya Shukla picked up a wicket apiece.
After unexpectedly falling behind in the first innings, Bengal launched a counter-attack in their second innings. Atmaja Mondal (39), captain Chandrahas Dhas (65 off 65 balls), and Abhiprai Biswas (an unbeaten 34 off 26 balls) batted aggressively, though they lost four wickets. For Goa, Shiven Borkar claimed 2 wickets for 52, and Mihir Kudalkar took 1 for 42.
Goa’s performance in this match has been highly commendable. The team’s grit, fighting spirit, and disciplined batting under pressure, especially by Aradhya, Venkata, and Kudalkar, highlight the growing strength and depth of Goa’s youth cricket. Their determined fightback to gain a first-innings lead against a strong Bengal side is a testament to their hard work and rising confidence. With such spirited performances, Goa continues to prove itself a formidable force in domestic youth cricket.
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