Ranji Trophy | Pondicherry vs. J&K - Day two report

Left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq takes five wickets in both innings, leaving Pondicherry struggling at 35 for seven.

Left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq followed up his five for 64 in the first innings with another five-wicket haul (five for 17) to leave Pondicherry reeling at 35 for seven versus Jammu & Kashmir on day two of their elite Group-D match in the sixth round of the Ranji Trophy at the Cricket Association of Pondicherry (CAP) Siechem ground here on Saturday.

This is Abid’s first-ever 10-wicket match haul in First-Class cricket.

Pondicherry had almost bungled the chase of 87 before the day’s play fortunately ended for it.

“I thought the game was ours until the last session,” said Pondicherry captain Rohit Damodaran after the day’s play.

It seemed the fall of quick wickets caused concern and the batters were caught in two minds as to what was the best option - to attack or to grind.

“After KB (Arun Karthick) got out, I think we were seriously concerned,” said Rohit, giving credit to the Jammu & Kashmir bowlers. “Rather than saying we were concerned and that didn’t work for us, I would say that they bowled well.”

Karthick skied his shot off left-arm spinner Vanshaj Sharma for Shubham Singh Pundir to take a running catch at mid off.