Gujarat in complete command against Goa

Medium-pacer Chintan Gaja grabbed a five-wicket haul before Gujarat stretched their overall lead to a mammoth 587 runs against Goa in their Ranji Trophy quarter-final here on Saturday.

Riding centuries by skipper Parthiv Patel and Roosh Kalaria, Gujarat had posted a mammoth 602/8 in their first innings at the Sardar Patel Stadium.

The hosts had sent back both the Goa openers on day two itself. On the third day, led by the 25-year-old Gaja (5-19), Gujarat came up with a clinical performance to bowl out Goa for a meagre 173 in 57.5 overs.

However, skipper Parthiv Patel decided not to enforce the follow-on and at stumps, Gujarat had an overall lead of 587 runs.

With two days to go, Goa would need nothing short of a miracle to escape a humiliation.

Goa's overnight batsmen Smit Patel (31) and skipper Amit Verma (56) failed to convert their starts.

First, Gaja trapped Patel in front of the wicket and then Verma offered a simple catch to Axar Patel off Roosh Kalaria, as Goa slumped to ...