The Odisha batters made up for their dismal show in the first innings as they posted 394 in their second and leaving Services with a target of 333 to achieve on the final day of their Elite Group A Ranji Trophy match at the DRIEMS Ground in Tangi near Cuttack on Saturday.
It was a heartbreaking miss for Odisha’s highest scorer in the match, Anil Parida, as he was left at the non-striker’s end on 99 in the last session on Day 3 as the last wicket fell at the other end.
Services were 46 for no loss when stumps were called by the umpire and will need to add 333 runs on Day 4 to get the winners points after securing the first-innings lead.
Earlier, Aasirwad Swain (77) and Rajesh Dhuper (66) resumed the day for the hosts with the score on 166/3 and while added just 14 runs to his overnight score to emerge as the second highest scorer for Odisha, Dhuper fought on with Parida to keep the board kicking.
Rajesh Mohanty, who had excelled with the ball in the first innings, continued his form with the bat adding 40 vital runs to the total.
Amit Shukhla was the most successful among the Services bowlers with his three dismissals as Jayant Goyat and Pulkit Narang took two wickets each.
Openers Suraj Vashisht (16 batting) and Shubham Rohilla (28 batting) will be back for the visitors on Sunday as the Mohanty-led Odisha bowling attack will aim for an encore of the first innings to end their campaign with a win.
Brief scores: Odisha 180 & 394 in 118.3 overs (A Swain 77, R Dhuper 66, A Parida 99 n.o.; Shukla 3-60). Services 199 & 46/0 in 13 overs (S Vashisht 16 batting, S Rohilla 28 batting). Match to continue.