Ranji Trophy 2015, Group B: Saurabh Kumar wreaks havoc, leads Uttar Pradesh to big win
Praveen Kumar dismissed Parthiv Patel and that triggered Gujarat’s collapse. (Source: Express file)
Left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar finished with a 10-wicket haul in the match to help Uttar Pradesh post a 155-run win over Gujarat and earn six points from their Group B Ranji Trophy encounter on the third and penultimate day in Valsad on Sunday.
Chasing 431 for victory, Gujarat’s one-down batsman Bhargav Merai chipped in with a crucial 54, while Manpreet Juneja (91 off 101 balls) and Axar Patel (80 off 89) played gritty late-order knocks, adding 142 runs off 153 balls for the seventh wicket, but failed to avoid defeat.
Saurabh, who claimed five for 37 in the first innings, once again wreaked havoc by taking five for 106 in the second essay to give the visitors an outright win.
Having already taken a 173-run first innings lead over Gujarat, UP resumed on Sunday at 163 for seven in their second innings and went on to score 257 all out with overnight batsman Piyush Chawla (62 not out) hitting a solid half-century.
Chasing a massive target, Gujarat lost two early wickets to be reeling at 6 for two inside five overs.
The home team, however, steadied the boat with a 60-run stand between Merai and captain Parthiv Patel (18).
But after Praveen Kumar dismissed Parthiv, Gujarat suddenly found themselves reduced to 110 for six from 66 for three with left-arm spinner Ali Murtaza (3/38) picking up two of the three wickets to fall.
Although lower-order batsmen — Juneja and Axar — tried to bring the hosts back on track but Murtaza removed the former to claim his third wicket before Saurabh came back to clean up the tail.
Saurabh finished with a match haul of 10 for 143.
Brief scores: Uttar Pradesh: 273 & 257 (Piyush Chawla not out 62, Axar Patel 5/90). Gujarat: 100 & 275 (Manpreet Juneja 91, Axar Patel 80; Saurabh Kumar 5/106, Ali Murtaza 3/38).
Points: UP 6, Gujarat 0
TN in front but Cheluvaraj, Rawat keep Railways afloat
Fast bowler A Aswin Crist registered the best bowling figures of his first class career to help Tamil Nadu enforce follow-on on Railways on the third and pentultimate day of their Group B Ranji Trophy cricket match, in New Delhi on Sunday.
After posting 328 in their first innings, Tamil Nadu rode on Aswin Crist’s (6/60) brilliant bowling to bundle out Railways for 164 after the hosts resumed at the overnight score of 129 for seven.
Brief Scores: Tamil Nadu 1st innings; 328 all out in 111.2 overs (Baba Indrajith 151; Anureet Singh 5/104). Railways: 164 & 200 for four in 70 overs (V Cheluvaraj 80 not out, Mahesh Rawat 77 not out; Malolan Rangarajan 2/46)
Baroda take first innings lead against MP
Baroda made 296 all out in reply to Madhya Pradesh’s 269 to take the vital first innings lead on the third and penultimate day of their Group B Ranji Trophy cricket match, in Vadodara on Sunday.
Resuming at the overnight score of 188 for four, Aditya Waghmode (68) added just four runs to his Saturday’s score being dismissed.
Brief Scores: Madhya Pradesh: 269 & 113 for two in 40 overs (Jalaj Saxena 39, Rajat Patidar 29; Swapnil Singh 1/19). Baroda: 296 all out in 113.2 overs (Aditya Waghmode 68, Yusuf Pathan 55; Mihir Hirwani 5/60)
