Ranji Trophy roundup: Himachal Pradesh shot out for 36; Gautam Gambhir's ton powers Delhi

Here’s a roundup of the Day 2 of the fourth round of the ongoing Ranji Trophy:

Himachal Pradesh 36 all out against Hyderabad, fourth lowest total since 2000

Guwahati: Himachal Pradesh were sent crashing to 36 all out, the fourth-lowest total in the Ranji Trophy since 2000, by Hyderabad as a staggering 15 wickets fell on day two of the Group C match here.

None of Himachal’s batsmen got into double digits as seamers M Ravi Kiran and Chama Milind ran through the top-order before legspinner Akash Bhandari snared four wickets without conceding a run to demolish the tail.

Overnight 8/2, Himachal were bowled out in 25 overs at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium.

Hyderabad surpassed Himachal’s total with just a wicket down, but seamer Rishi Dhawan picked up six wickets to ensure his team remained in the game.

Owing to Rishi’s figures of 6/35, Himachal managed to limit Hyderabad to 99 for seven at stumps, a lead of 63 runs with three first-innings remaining.

B Anirudh was at the crease at stumps, on 44 off 111 balls, having hit seven fours.

The pitch was difficult to bat on, but the low totals were also due to a lack of application from the batsmen.

Batsmen from both sides had a torrid time encountering the uneven bounce, as some of the balls would keep low while some would take off suddenly. As many as nine batsmen, across both innings, were either bowled or LBW. All that the bowlers were required to do was put the ball in the right area.

However, Anirudh showed the rest how to bat on such a wicket.

Gambhir hits 147 as Delhi score 351/7 vs Odisha

Mohali: Gautam Gambhir kept himself in the hunt for a place in the Indian team’s first XI against England in the first Test starting 9 November by hitting patient 147 helping Delhi take a substantial first innings lead in the Ranji Trophy group B encounter here on Friday.

After bowling out Odisha for 237 in the first innings, Delhi rode on skipper Gambhir’s 39th first-class ton to reach 351 for seven at stumps on the second day thereby taking a 114-run lead.

Gambhir faced 232 balls hitting 18 fours in the process. He showed a lot of patience, waiting for the loose deliveries. He played some attractive shots square of the wicket as well as in-front.

He used his feet to good effect against spin duo of left-arm slow bowler Dhiraj Singh and off-spinner Gobind Poddar.

The other significant contributor was Rishabh Pant, who smashed his way to a quickfire 60 off 56 balls comprising six boundaries and two sixes.

Starting the day at 43 for no loss, Unmukt Chand’s wretched run continued as he was caught by Subhranshu Senapati off pacer Suryakant Pradhan’s bowling.

Young Dhruv Shorey (29) showed patience as he put up a 71-run stand with skipper Gambhir.

Shorey did all the hardwork to be trapped leg before by Poddar’s off-break.

Nitish Rana (5) was dismissed cheaply after which young Pant walked in.

Courtesy Pant-Gambhir duo, Delhi stacked up 114 runs in 19.3 overs. Pant was severe on all the bowlers as the title contenders pushed up the rate.

Once Pant was dismissed by Dhiraj caught by Senapati and Gambhir was caught by Anurag sarangi off Poddar, three short of his 150, Delhi were in a spot at 274 for 5 with only 37 run lead.

But Milind Kumar (39 batting) and Sumit Narwal (35) added 56 runs to help Delhi stretch their lead by 100 runs.

Narwal’s addition to the team has had its desired effect as his quickfire knock had five boundaries and a six.

Brief scores: Odisha 1st Innings 237. Delhi: 1st Innings 351/7 (Gautam Gambhir 147, Rishabh Pant 60, Dhiraj Singh 3/61, Dhiraj Singh 2/65).

Uthappa, Nair slam unbeaten tons to help Karnataka recover

Mumbai: Seasoned batsman Robin Uthappa slammed a strokeful unbeaten century along with younger teammate Karun Nair as rallied Karnataka from a poor start against Assam on day two of the Group B Ranji Trophy tie on Friday.

The third wicket duo, who joined forces at the fall of openers Mayank Agarwal and R Samarth with only 4 on the board, compiled a 219-run stand to remain unbeaten at stumps in a team total of 223 for 2, still 102 runs adrift of Assam’s first innings tally of 325 at the Bandra Kurla Complex ground here.

Uthappa, who struck two sixes and 12 fours in his 206-ball innings remained unconquered on 108, his first 20-plus score of the season and his 21st first-class hundred in his 126th game.

Nair, who came into the game with three half centuries in his last three innings in the tournament against Jharkhand and Delhi, converted yet another 50-plus score into his career’s eighth hundred in his 37th first class match – to be not out also on 108.

Dropped on 0 and 85, the 24-year-old batsman remained unconquered after facing 198 balls and with the help of 13 hits to the fence.

The duo put to sword the Assam attack which had its tails up after packing off Agarwal and Samarth for ducks in the second and third over respectively, Krishna Das and Arup Das being the respective wicket takers.

The duo took the team to 46 for 2 at lunch, opened out in the second session with aggressive play and then continued to dominate in the final session too.

Earlier, resuming at last evening’s 268 for 6, Assam were dismissed for the addition of 57 runs. Stuart Binny gave an early break for Karnataka by sending back overnight unbeaten batsman Sarupam Purkayastha in the third over for 59 before leggie Shreyas Gopal mopped up the last three wickets.

Amit Verma was stranded on 166 off 316 balls and inclusive of three sixes and 23 fours as he ran out of partners. He was 125 last evening.

Brief scores: Assam: 325 (Amit Verma 166 not out, K B Arun Karthick 35, S Purkayastha 59; S Aravind 5 for 70, S Gopal 3 for 74). Karnataka: 223 for 2 (R Uthappa not out 108, K Nair not out 108).

Hooda slams 293 in Baroda’s 529 all out against Punjab

New Delhi: Young Deepak Hooda was left stranded on a monumental 293 off 354 balls as Baroda were all out for 529 in their Ranji Trophy Group A cricket match against Punjab here on Friday.

Replying to Baroda’s huge total first-innings total, Punjab finished the second day’s play at the Feroz Shah Kotla on 121 for one.

Opener Manan Vohra was batting on 67 and the experienced Uday Kaul was unbeaten on 33 when the stumps were drawn. Jiwanjot Singh was the only wicket to fall, bowled by Sagar Mangalorkar, in the 35 overs Punjab batted.

Earlier, Hooda, who has turned out for Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, carried on from where he left last evening, batting through the innings to help Baroda notch up a formidable total.

Leading the side as a 22-year-old, Hooda’s 598-minute stay in the middle was exemplary, as he struck 25 boundaries and six sixes while maintaining a high strike rate of nearly 83.

At the end of first day’s play, Hooda was unbeaten on a career-best 190 as Baroda reached 358 for six.

During his stay at the crease today, Hooda shared 94 runs for the seventh wicket with Swapnil Singh (45), 53 runs for the eighth wicket with Mangalorkar (30) and 52 for the ninth with Murtuja Vahora (19).

Punjab trailed by 408 runs with nine wickets remaining in the first innings.

UP reach 147/4 in reply to Gujarat’s 347

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh reached 147 for four in reply to Gujarat’s 347 all out in their first innings at the close of play on the second day of the four-day Ranji Trophy Group A cricket match, here on Friday.

Openers Samarth Singh (50) and Tanmay Srivastava (45) shared 80 runs between them before Uttar Pradesh lost four wickets in quick succession.

Besides, Umang Sharma (20) and skipper Eklavya Dwivedi (20 not out) were the other notable contributors for Uttar Pradesh.

Young Hardik Patel (3/58) picked up three wickets for Gujarat, while Rush Kalaria (1/23) scalped one victim.

Earlier resuming at the overnight score of 276 for eight, Chirag Gandhi (87) added 54 more runs to his last night’s total and stitched crucial 63 runs with Ishwar Chaudhary (13 not out) for the last wicket to take Gujarat close to the 350-run mark.

Medium pacer Imtiaz Ahmed (5/73) picked up five wickets for Uttar Pradesh.

At stumps, Uttar Pradesh still trail Gujarat by 200 runs with six wickets in hand.

Brief scores: Gujarat: 347 all out in 110.2 overs (Chirag Gandhi 87; Imtiaz Ahmed 5/73). Uttar Pradesh: 147 for four in 67 overs (Samarth 50; Hardik Patel 3/58).

Services post 477, Jammu and Kashmir reach 96-1 on day 2

Jaipur: Parvez Rasool returned with a five-wicket haul but Services still managed to post a massive 477 in their first innings on the second day of the four-day Ranji Trophy Group C match here on Friday.

Resuming at an overnight score of 287-3, Services added another 190 runs, courtesy G Rahul Singh (182), who shared a 95-run stand with VS Hathwala (44).

In reply, Jammu and Kashmir reached 96-1 in 34 overs. At the draw of stumps, opener SP Khajuria (34) and ID Singh (30) were at the crease at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

Jammu and Kashmir still need 381 runs with nine wickets remaining to take a first innings lead.

Resuming at an individual score of 68, SU Yadav was the first to be dismissed when he was trapped infront of wicket by Ram Dayal in the 93rd over, just after Services reached 300.

Aamir Aziz then removed Hathwala (44) and Nakul Sharma (19) as Services slipped to 421-6.

Parvez then dismissed Rahul in the 123rd over, before moping up the tail as Services were allout in 144.5 overs.

Pranav Gupta and Khajuria gave a good start to J&K, adding 51 runs in 13 overs before the former was dismissed by Raj Bahadur.

Brief scores: Services 1st innings: 477 allout in 144.5 overs (G Rahul Singh 182; Parvez Rasool 5/117). Jammu and Kashmir: 1st innings: 96/1 in 34 overs (S P Khajuria 34; P Raj Bahadur 1/26).

15 wickets fall on Day 2 as Bengal lead by 308 runs

Dharamsala: Bengal maintained their stranglehold over Railways by extending their lead to 308 runs during yet another day dominated by seam bowlers in a Ranji Trophy group A league encounter.

On a track where stroke-making has been difficult throughout, Railways may find a 300-plus target pretty difficult to chase down.

After 14 wickets fell on Day 1, the second day saw 15 wickets falling with Railways being skittled out for 105 in their first innings conceding exactly 100-run lead.

Ashok Dinda scalped 5 for 45 in 14 overs which is now his 19th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. Amit Kuila and Sayan Ghosh picked up 2 and 3 wickets respectively.

Bengal in their second innings fared marginally better as they ended the proceedings at 208 for 9 with seamers Karan Thakur (3/39), Deepak Bansal (3/40) and Amit Mishra (2/62) sharing the bulk of the spoils.

For Bengal, almost all their top-order batsmen got a start but failed to convert on a track where no batsmen from either side felt settled.

Skipper Manoj Tiwary (48, 71 balls, 7x4) and Test specialist Wriddhiman Saha (44, 75 balls, 9x4) were the two players who looked most comfortable on a seaming track.

Abhimanyu Easwaran (25, 6x4), Sayan Sekhar Mondal (30) and Sudeep Chatterjee (20) got starts but failed to counter swing for a consistent period of time.

What helped Bengal was the 100-run cushion provided to them by another lion-hearted effort from Dinda.

Having scalped a couple yesterday, nightwatchman Anureet Singh (4) was trapped leg before. The dogged Shivakant Shukla (14) was the next to go as he nicked an away going delivery from Kuila into the hands of Wriddhiman Saha.

Dinda’s 4th victim was Mahesh Rawat (9) caught at slips by Chatterjee as Railways were in trouble at 53 for 7.

Skipper Karn Sharma’s 40 off 26 balls helped Railwaymen cross 100-run mark.

Dinda’s fifth wicket came when he clean bowled Deepak Bansal.

If the pitch and conditions remain same, it will be a difficult chase for the Railways as survival is not the best policy on such a track.

Brief scores: Bengal: 205 and 208/9 (Manoj Tiwary 48. Wriddhiman Saha 44, Sayan Sekhar Mondal 30, Karan Thakur 3/39, Deepak Bansal 3/40). Railways: 105 all out (Karn Sharma 40, Ashok Dinda 5/45).

Twin centuries put Tamil Nadu in control against Madhya Pradesh

Cuttack: Kaushik Gandhi and Narayan Jagadeesan hit centuries as Tamil Nadu batsmen sent a hapless Madhya Pradesh bowlers for a leatherhunt to pile up a massive 547 for 7 on the second day and take complete control of their Ranji Trophy Group A cricket match here on Friday.

Resuming the day at 262 for 4, TN added 285 runs from 89 overs on Friday with Gandhi (157) and Jagadeesan (118 not out ) doing the bulk of scoring at DRIEMS Ground at Tangi here.

Baba Indrajith made a significant contribution of 68 off 150 balls.

Gandhi began the day at 71 and he added 86 runs on Friday to his individual score and he was the second batsman dismissed. He also shared 90 runs with Jagadeesan for the sixth wicket. His 157 came from 368 balls and was studded with 24 boundaries.

After Gandhi’s departure, Jagadeesan continued with the good work and he shared 91 runs for the seventh wicket with Malolan Rangarajan (37). Jagadeesan’s unbeaten 118 came from 196 balls and had eight fours and two sixes.

At the draw of stumps on Friday, Aswin Crist was giving company to Jagadeesan on 12.

For MP, Ashwin Das took two wickets on Friday while Harpreet Singh got one.

With two days left in the match, TN have shut the door on MP which cannot win the match now. TN can either win the match and or take the first innings lead in case of a draw.

Brief scores: Tamil Nadu: 547 for 7 in 174 overs (Kaushik Gandhi 157, Narayan Jagadeesan 118 not out; Ashwin Das 3/111).

Tripura reduce Goa to 220/8

Bhubaneswar: Tripura produced a collective bowling effort to reduce Goa to 220 for eight and stand in the verge of taking the vital first innings lead in a Group C Ranji Trophy cricket match, here on Friday.

Replying to Tripura’s 283 all out, Goa still trail by 63 runs in the first innings with just two wickets in hand.

Shadab Jakati (16 not out) and Ganeshraj Narvekar were at the crease when stumps were drawn on the second day of the four-day match.

Opener Swapnil Asnodkar (57) made a fine half-century, while Snehal Kauthankar (43) and skipper Sagun Kamat (380 both got starts before being dismissed.

For Tripura, left-arm orthodox bowler Gurinder Singh (3/40) picked up three wickets while Manisankar Murasingh (2/50) and Bunti Roy (2/67) shared four wickets between them.

Brief scores: Tripura: 283 all out in 80 overs (Rajat Dey 87, Abhijit Dey 58; Shadab Jakati 4/67).

Goa: 220 for eight in 81 overs (Swapnil Asnodkar 57; Gurinder Singh 3/40).