The third day of the Vijay Merchant Trophy Under-16 match between Uttar Pradesh and Vidarbha at the KSCA-2 ground in Kanpur concluded with the game fascinatingly poised. Uttar Pradesh managed to secure a 35-run first-innings lead, but a spirited bowling performance from Vidarbha in the second innings has thrown the contest wide open ahead of the final day.
Vidarbha's Lower-Order Resistance Falls Short
Resuming their first innings, Vidarbha's overnight batters, Manav Wankhede and Malhar, extended their partnership. However, the hosts struck regularly. Rudra Sharma dismissed Malhar for 29, while Prithviraj Singh accounted for Manav Wankhede after his contribution of 12 runs. The innings then stumbled to 98 for six, putting Uttar Pradesh in complete command.
A crucial fightback came from the seventh-wicket pair of Nirmik Charde and Veer Chikhalkar. They added a valuable 64-run partnership to lend respectability to the total. Nirmik Charde played a patient knock of 37 runs from 97 deliveries. Prithviraj Singh eventually broke the stand, but Veer Chikhalkar remained unbeaten on a gritty 34 off 119 balls. Vidarbha were eventually bowled out for 172, conceding the first-innings lead.
For Uttar Pradesh, the bowling honours were shared. Prithviraj Singh was the standout performer, claiming four wickets for 52 runs. Aarav Tyagi and Rudra Sharma provided excellent support, picking up two wickets each.
UP's Second Innings Stutter After Solid Start
With a lead of 35, Uttar Pradesh began their second innings aiming to build a substantial target. Openers Hitesh Kumar and Krishna Kumar provided a steady start, putting on 29 runs for the first wicket. However, Vidarbha's bowlers, led by Kush Sharma and Om Dhotre, engineered a dramatic collapse.
Kush Sharma removed Hitesh Kumar for 22 and then dismissed Atharva Singh for a duck. At the other end, Om Dhotre produced a match-turning spell. He removed Arush Gupta for 8 and then claimed the key wicket of top-scorer Krishna Kumar, who had made a well-compiled 40 with six boundaries. Dhotre also sent back Darsh Yadav for 14.
From a position of relative comfort, Uttar Pradesh slumped to 78 for five by stumps. With Rudra Sharma (4*) and Aalok Kumar (0*) at the crease, the hosts' overall lead stands at 113 runs, setting the stage for a tense final day where either team could force a victory.
Match Situation and Key Players
The match is now perfectly balanced. Vidarbha will look to wrap up the Uttar Pradesh second innings quickly on the final morning, while the UP tail will aim to stretch the lead beyond 150 to give their bowlers a competitive target to defend. The performances of all-rounders like Rudra Sharma and the Vidarbha bowling duo of Om Dhotre and Kush Sharma will be crucial.
Brief Scores:
Uttar Pradesh: 207 & 78/5 (Krishna Kumar 40, Hitesh Kumar 22; Om Dhotre 3/19, Kush Sharma 2/16).
Vidarbha: 172 (Nirmik Charde 37, Veer Chikhalkar 34*, Malhar Dhurad 29; Prithviraj Singh 4/52, Aarav Tyagi 2/27, Rudra Sharma 2/42).
Uttar Pradesh lead by 113 runs with 5 second-innings wickets in hand.
