Saurashtra finally come good as a team

AHMEDABAD: For any team, to win a solitary match in seven outings in Ranji Trophy tournament is poor by any standards. It is all the more sad that this very statistics is about a team like Saurasthra, finalist of last year Ranji Trophy.
Says a lot about what the team looks like. Year 2014-15 may well be one of poorest for Saurasthra as they have won just one match so far, losing two and drawing four (conceding first-innings lead in all 4).
With the help of off-spinner Kamlesh Makvana, Saurashtra defeated Haryana on Friday in Rajkot, much to the respite of many, including coach Sithanshu Kotak who is in his maiden year in this job.
But numbers can be dangerously deceptive. Consider this: Saurashtra's Sheldon Jackson, with 788 runs in 12 innings with average of 78.80, is the highest run-getter in Ranji this year so far. He has smashed three tons and as many fifties and his strike rate is 60.24, one of the best among toppers.
But lack of support from the opposite end always let his hard work down. Saurashtra's problem this season has been failure of teamwork. Individual performances galore, this team's batting or balling failed to live up to the billing. The only time they did so, resulted in an impressive 62-run win over Haryana.
This win takes them to 10 points, two more than Odisha who are now lying at the bottom. With Saurashtra taking on Odisha in their final league stage encounter, the onus is on Saurashtra to humble Odisha and stay clear of relegation to Group C.