Ranji Trophy: Rishabh Pant triple ton in vain as Maharashtra take lead
Maharashtra and Bengal bag three points each against Delhi and Uttar Pradesh while Yuvraj Sing's brilliant performance gave Punjab the maximum points as they beat Madhya Pradesh by 126 runs.
In Short
- Pant's 308 off 326 goes in vain as Maharashtra bagged three points due a lead of 45 runs in the first innings
- Bengal bagged three points against UP
- Punjab managed to bag all six points as they beat Madhya Pradesh by 126 runs
Diminutive Delhi wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant slammed a brilliant triple hundred but it went in vain as Maharashtra took the all-important first innings lead in the Ranji Trophy Group B match that ended in a draw on Sunday.
Pant compiled 308 off only 326 balls laced with as many as 9 sixes and 42 fours and brought Delhi very close to Maharashtra's huge first innings score of 635/2 declared.
However, he fell in trying to hit a 10th six, one ball after he had lofted left-arm spinner Satyajeet Bachhav over the rope, when Delhi were 58 runs behind Maharashtra's first innings total.
The dismissal of Pant, who had kept wickets over the first two days and then came down to bat at No.5 when Delhi were 135/3, ended his team's hopes as Maharashtra polished off the remaining three wickets for 13 runs to terminate the northern team's first innings at 590 for a lead of 45.
In the remaining time, Maharashtra made 58 without loss before the game was called off by mutual consent.
BENGAL BAG THREE POINTS
Abhimanyu Easwaran scored his second century of the match as Bengal logged home three points against Uttar Pradesh by virtue of their first innings lead in a drawn Ranji Trophy group league encounter.
After securing a vital 56-run first innings lead, Bengal employed a safety-first approach declaring at 274/6 in 76 overs leaving UP with an improbable target of 331.
The two captains shook hands when UP scored 70 for no loss in 20 overs. UP got a point from the game.
Just like the first day, the final day also belonged to the right-handed opener Easwaran carried his bat through the innings with an unbeaten 110 following his 142 in the first innings.
This was his third first-class hundred and batted for a period of more than five and quarter hours, facing 209 balls. There were 11 boundaries in his innings.
YUVRAJ, BOWLERS GIVE PUNJAB SIX POINTS
In-form skipper Yuvraj Singh's timely declaration paid off as his bowlers fired in unison to help Punjab bundle out Madhya Pradesh for 180 and notch up a 126-run win in their Group A Ranji Trophy match.
Chasing 307 runs for an outright victory, Madhya Pradesh were bowled out in 64.4 overs at the CH Bansi Lal Cricket Stadium.
Pacer Manprit Gony was the wrecker-in-chief for Punjab, returning figures of 4/41, while Siddarth Kaul (3/42) and Sandeep Sharma (2/25) provided the much-needed support at the other end.
Punjab will pick six points for the outright win.