Ranji trophy 2015, Group B: Gurkeerat Mann takes nine, Punjab beat Andhra inside two days
Off-spinner Gurkeerat Singh Mann registered his career best bowling figures as Punjab defeated a sorry-looking Andhra by seven wickets on the second day of a Group B Ranji Trophy cricket match, in Patiala on Saturday.
After the fall of 17 wickets on the opening day, it was no different on Saturday as well as 16 more tumbled on a rank turner at the Dhruve Pandove stadium.
Resuming their first innings at 127 for seven in reply to Andhra 80 all out, Punjab added 20 more runs to finish on 147 to take a first innings lead of 67 runs.
But the first innings lead hardly mattered as Punjab rode on Gurkeerat’s innings-best five for 38 to bundle out Andhra for a meagre 133 in their second innings, thereby setting a paltry target of 67 runs to chase for an outright win with more than two days play remaining in the match.
Gurkeerat finished with career-best match figures of nine for 52, which includes his first innings bowling figures of four for 14.
Gurkeerat was ably supported by pacer Rajwinder Singh (3/33) who picked up three wickets in the second innings, while Sarabjit Ladda (2/40) accounted for two.
The 67-run target was a mere formality for Punjab to complete which they achieved in 19.3 overs but not without losing three top-order batsmen.
By virtue of this win, Punjab pocketed six points from the match while Andhra returned empty-handed.
Brief Scores: Punjab: 147 & 67 for three in 19.3 overs (Mandeep Singh 22 not out; Hanumappa Shivraj 1/10) Andhra: 80 & 133 all out in 41.4 overs (KS Bharat 39; Gurkeerat Singh 5/38)
Points: Punjab 6, Andhra 0
Railways in deep trouble against TN
Railways were in a spot of bother at 129 for seven in their first innings in reply to Tamil Nadu’s 328 at the close of play on the second day of a Group B Ranji Trophy cricket match, in New Delhi on Saturday.
Pace duo of A Aswin Crist (4/42) and J Kousik (3/7) wrecked the Railways innings with their incisive bowling.
Brief Scores: Tamil Nadu 1st innings; 328 all out in 111.2 overs (Baba Indrajith 151; Anureet Singh 5/104) Railways 1st innings: 129 for seven in 59 overs (V Cheluvaraj 63 not out; A Aswin Crist 4/42)
Praveen, Saurabh give UP upper hand against Gujarat
Praveen Kumar (5/16) and Saurabh Kumar (5/37) shared 10 wickets between them to bundle out Gajarat for 100 and give Uttar Pradesh 173-run first innings lead on the second day of their Ranji Trophy Group B cricket match Valsad on Saturday.
At the close of play, UP were 163 for seven in their second innings, with an overall lead of 336 runs and three wickets remaining.
Brief scores: Uttar Pradesh: 273 & 163 for 7 (Umang Sharma 66, Axar Patel 4/54) Gujarat: 100 all out (Parthiv Patel 39; Praveen Kumar 5/16, Saurabh Kumar 5/37)
Baroda 188/4 in reply to MP’s 269
Baroda were 188 for four in reply to Madhya Pradesh’s 269 at the end of second day’s play in a Group B Ranji Trophy cricket match, in Vadodara on Saturday.
Baroda rode on Aditya Waghmode’s unbeaten 64 and Deepak Hooda’s 51 to pile up the runs.
At stumps, dangerous Yusuf Pathan (27 not out) was at the crease along side Waghmode with Baroda playing out 66 overs in the day.
Brief Scores: Madhya Pradesh 1st innings: 269 all out in 111.2 overs (Rajat Patidar 60, Harpreet Singh 51; Swapnil Singh 4/61). Baroda 1st innings: 188 for four in 66 overs (Aditya Waghmode 64 not out, Deepak Hooda 51; Ankit Sharma 2/58)
