A Sivasagar batsman plays a shot at Nehru stadium in Guwahati on Friday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, March 5: Subodh Rathi today picked up from where he had left off in the first innings and crafted a patient 191-ball 78 to bail out Karimganj once again on the third day of the Nuruddin Ahmed Trophy senior inter-district cricket plate group tournament final at Nehru Stadium.

His innings helped Karimganj set a challenging 301-run target for Sivasagar to chase in the second innings with only seven wickets in hand on the last day tomorrow.

Resuming at 79 for five, Karimganj today lost their overnight batsmen in quick succession, followed by another wicket before Rathi steadied the ship with tailender Debabrata Deb.

The side was eventually all out for 245 in 94.5 overs today, but with their 55-run first innings lead, Karimganj set Sivasagar 301 runs to chase for an outright victory. In reply, the Sivasagar side lost three wickets for 39 runs in 29 overs this afternoon.

For Karimganj, overnight not out batsmen Amitava Das (29) and Arif Ahmed (15) looked steady this morning but failed to maintain their cool. Both threw away their wickets to successive overs by Raffiquddin Ahmed.

However, Rathi and Deb (39) shared a ninth-wicket partnership of 127 runs to put the Karimganj side back in the driver’s seat after the collapse. Rathi was finally caught by Raffiquddin Ahmed off a Rajpal Saikia delivery at midwicket.

Rajinder Lal was the pick of the Sivasagar bowlers, having hauled six for 52. Ahmed accounted for two for 36.

The Sivasagar men continued with their sloppy fielding today and conceded 31 runs as extras, including 16 byes and three legbyes. They conceded 25 runs as extras in the first innings on Wednesday.

The Sivasagar men, apparently under pressure, did hara-kiri and lost three quick wickets in the post-tea session this afternoon. Rajinder Lal (15) and Amrit Basfore (3) were at the crease at the draw of stumps today.