A Karnataka-born cricketer representing Nagaland and a former school teacher combined to brighten an overcast Monday — and in the process, schooled Tamil Nadu — with a sensational unbroken 205-run sixth-wicket stand that helped the team avoid the follow-on on the penultimate day of the Group-A Ranji Trophy clash at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground.

Opener Dega Nischal (161 batting, 350b, 24×4) and Imliwati Lemtur (115 batting, 203b, 17×4, 3×6) played with grit, determination and control to lift Nagaland from 160 for five to 365 for five — 147 runs behind Tamil Nadu’s 512 for three declared.

The southern side struck early in the fifth over of the day, as the other overnight batter, Yugandhar, added only nine to his score before edging one to the keeper off left-arm spinner D.T. Chandrasekar.

From there, Nischal and Lemtur took control, old-school style — leaving well, defending tightly, and playing the waiting game, gradually wearing the bowlers down.

Nischal looked composed and comfortable throughout his 566-minute marathon, guiding the innings while pouncing on and punishing anything overpitched or short.

He kept the scoreboard moving and brought up his 10th First Class hundred — his sixth for Nagaland — in style, with a wristy whip off his pads that raced to the fence.

Lemtur, meanwhile, took his time before shifting gears. Once set, he found the fence with precision — threading gaps, leaning into drives, and taking on the spinners.

He lofted R. Sai Kishore twice over long-on and Chandrasekar over mid-wicket, as Tamil Nadu desperately searched for answers.

Just before tea, Lemtur clipped one off his pads for a boundary to bring up a hard-earned century — his first in First Class cricket, one that took the fizz out of the attack before bad light ended an eventful day’s play for Nagaland.

The scores: Tamil Nadu — 1st innings: 512 for three decl.

Nagaland — 1st innings: Sedezhalie Rupero b Gurjapneet 6, Dega Nischal (batting) 161, Hem Chetri c Athish b Gurjapneet 0, Rongsen Jonathan c Indrajith b Gurjapneet 0, Chetan Bist b Gurjapneet 4, Yugandhar Singh c Athish b Chandrasekar 67, Imliwati Lemtur (batting) 115; Extras (w-2, nb-1, lb-4, pen-5): 12; Total (for five wkts. in 127 overs): 365.

Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-9, 3-9, 4-31, 5-160.

Tamil Nadu bowling: Warrier 25-8-75-0, Gurjapneet 25-7-57-4, Ambrish 9-1-41-0, Sai Kishore 35-11-90-0, Chandrasekar 25-4-63-1, Pradosh 4-0-14-0, Shahrukh 4-1-16-0.