Cheteshwar Pujara scored his 12th score in excess of 200 runs in first-class cricket when he registered a double hundred against Jharkhand in the ongoing Ranji Trophy match in Rajkot. In doing so, the top-order batsman surpassed Vijay Merchant who had 11 such scores against his name.
Mayank Agarwal posted his maiden double ton while Chirag Jani, Bengal captain, Manoj Tiwary, Ambati Rayudu, Anmolpreet Singh, Gurkeerat Mann, R Samarth were others to reach the three-figure mark on the second day of the fourth round of Ranji Trophy 2017-18.
With a four-for, Piyush Chawla was once again instrumental in helping Gujarat to an advantageous position.
Here are the highlights of the day:
Group ARailways vs Hyderabad: Hyderabad declared their innings on 474 for nine after resuming on 272 for three on the second morning. Ambati Rayudu went on to post a century after resuming his knock on 88 while B Sandeep scored 82. The team’s total was further boosted by valuable contributions from T Ravi Teja (70) and Akash Bhandari (40) lower down the order.
In reply, Railways were 35 for one at the end of day’s play.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/46Delhi vs Uttar Pradesh: At 228 for six, Delhi were leading by 63 runs at the end of second day’s play.
Uttar Pradesh were bowled out for 291 after resuming on 270 for eight. Delhi then lost Unmukt Chand with 59 runs on the board. However, Gautam Gambhir ensured the team a stable platform as he stitched a valuable stand with Dhruv Shorey to take the side to 125 before returning to the pavilion. The opener was sent back for 86 by Saurabh Kumar.
Although Delhi continued to lose wickets at regular intervals, Shorey held up one end and was batting on 65 off 163 with Pulkit Narang when play ended for the day.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/47Maharashtra vs Karnataka: Samarth R and Mayank Agarwal helped Karnataka to a commanding position with a 259-run opening partnership. The pair pilfer runs off the Maharashtra attack after resuming the innings on 117/0. They had taken their team to a first innings lead when Samarth was sent back for 129 by SM Gugale. A while later, Chirag Khurana accounted for Nischal D to leave the side on 319 for two. Agarwal continued to anchor the innings and was batting on 219 with Karun Nair (56*) when play ended for the day.
At Stumps, Karnataka were 461 for two and lead by 216 runs.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/48Group BJ & K vs Kerala: After the spinners bowled Kerala to a 46-run first innings lead, the team were 45 for one when play ended on Day 2. Kerala were leading by 91 runs at Stumps.
Earlier, after J & K resumed their innings on 16 without loss, Sijomon Joseph accounted for Shubham Khajuria to end the opening stand for 82. In his next over, the bowler followed up with the wicket of Ahmad Omar Banday to leave J & K on 85 for two. A bit later, Jalaj Saxena claimed Ian Chauhan and Pranav Gupta to leave the opponents on 86 for four. 53 runs later, Parvez Rasool was trapped lbw by S Joseph and J & K’s woes continued. Debutant KC Akshay (4/37) then wrapped up the innings for 173.
Extending the lead, Jalaj Saxena and Rohan Prem were at the crease when rain stopped play, which couldn’t be resumed for the day.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/43Gujarat vs Haryana: Piyush Chawla claimed 4/48 while S Desai picked three and CT Gaja 2/17 as they bowled Gujarat to a 79-run first innings lead. After Haryana resumed their innings on 0/1 they were bowled out for 157 by the defending champions.
Parthiv Patel, opening the innings, was then trapped lbw by Amit Mishra, who also sent back S Gohil in the same over to leave Gujarat on 51 for two. However, Priyank Panchal saw the team through to stumps with B Merai. Gujarat were 110/2 at the end of day’s play and lead by 189 runs.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/44Saurashtra vs Jharkhand: A solid 204 off 355 balls by Cheteshwar Pujara has tipped the balance in the hosts’ favour. After resuming the innings on 314 for five with Chirag Jani, the pair had taken Saurashtra to 481 until the No 7 batsman was sent back by Shahbaz Nadeem for 108. The duo had put together 210 runs until the spinner ended the flourishing stand. The top-order bat then continued to carry the innings forward patiently and en route scored a record setting double ton. When he was eventually sent back by S Nadeem, Saurashtra were 516 for nine. S Sanandia and V Jivrajani had taken the team to 553 for nine when the home team declared their innings.
With Jaydev Unadkat taking two wickets, Jharkhand were 52 for two at Stumps and trailing by 501 runs.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/45Group CBaroda vs Tripura: A determined batting performance by the lower middle-order propelled Baroda to 521 after resuming on 304 for five. While Abhijit Karambelkar was sent back for 86 after resuming on 75*, M Patel contributed 76 and A Sheth made an unbeaten 95 to set up the match for the hosts.
At stumps, Tripura were 63 for one and trailed by 458 runs.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/37Andhra vs Madhya Pradesh: In reply to MP’s 321, Andhra were 177 for five at the end of second day’s play.
After resuming on 219 for five, MP were bowled out the addition of 102 runs to the overnight score. Harpreet Singh Bhatia was the top-scorer for the side with 88 runs while Prithvi Raj Yarra finished with a four-for.
Puneet Datey then claimed KS Bharat without a run on the board and the MP worked to keep the flow of runs in check. Captain Hanuma Vihari made 77 off 132 balls while B Sumanth scored a half-century before being sent back by Mihir Hirwani. The bowler claimed two wickets while Ishwar Pandey and Ankit Sharma too picked a wicket each.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/38Odisha vs Mumbai: Bowlers put Mumbai in a commanding position after the visitors were bowled out for 289 earlier in the day. At the end of day’s play, the Aditya Tare-led side was leading by 202 runs with seven wickets in hand.
After resuming their first innings on 264 for six, Mumbai lost their last four wickets for 25 runs. Dhawal Kulkarni and Shardul Thakur then left the hosts reeling on 0/3 and 2/4.
Dhawal Kulkarni sent back Sandeep Pattanaik in the first over while Thakur accounted for Natraj Behera and Subhransu Senapati off the first two balls of the second over of the innings. In the next over, Kulkarni’s next victim was Govind Poddar leaving Odisha reeling. Bilpab Samantray then set about the task of reviving the innings with Shantanu Mishra. Playing watchfully the pair took the team to Lunch at 49 for four. Vijay Gohil eventually ended the stand for 93 with the wicket of Mishra and later in the over, claimed Saurabh Rawat to leave the hosts on 95 for six.
Samantray rallied on with Deepak Behera. However, in the third session, Abhishek Nayar claimed Behera to leave the team on 139 for seven. The senior all-rounder then claimed two more while Gohil picked one bowl Mumbai to a 144-run first innings lead. Nayar claimed 3/27.
Mumbai too lost early wickets; while Akhil Herwadkar was run out, Ajinkya Rahane was trapped lbw by Basant Mohanty. Prithvi Shaw, who was in good nick departed for 46, taking the aerial route to Behera.
At Stumps, Mumbai were 58 for three with Suryakumar Yadav batting on nine with night-watchman, Kulkarni.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/42Group DBengal vs Himachal: After resuming Bengal’s innings on 306 for five, with Shreevats Goswami, Manoj Tiwary who was batting overnight on 78 went on to post a century. The Bengal captain made 123 until he was sent back by Rishi Dhawan leaving the hosts on 388 for seven. 31 runs later, Bengal were bowled out for 419 by the Dhawan-led attack. As he wrapped-up the home team’s first innings, the pacer finished with a four-for while P Jaswal took three wickets.
Although Ashoke Dinda then claimed Prashant Chopra early leaving HP on 9/1, P Khanduri and S Verma built a solid platform with a 92-run stand. However, after Mukesh Kumar ended the stand with the wicket of Verma, Dinda and Mohammed Shami followed up with quick wickets to leave the visitors on 163 for five at Stumps. When play ended for the day, A Bains was yet to open his account while A Kumar was batting on four.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/39Chhattisgarh vs Punjab: Anmolpreet Singh (171*) and Gurkeerat Mann (111) powered Punjab to a 481 for six on Day 2 after Punjab resumed their innings on 57 for one in the morning. Coming together at 122 for three, the pair added 212 runs for the fourth wicket to bolster the Punjab total until Mann was bowled by S Kharwar.
Anmolpreet continued to anchor the innings and batting with Vinay Choudhary had taken the Punjab lead to 243 until Stumps.
Scorecard - http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/41
Vidarbha vs Services: Vidarbha were bowled out for 385 after resuming on 259 for three in the morning. In reply, Services were 141 for four at Stumps and trailing by 244 runs.
After resuming his innings on 128, Faiz Fazal was the first to return to the dressing room on Day 2. The batsman was run out for 136 leaving the team on 282 for four. Ganesh Satish, then held the innings together and continued to add valuable runs to the tally with the lower order even as the Services bowlers continued to strike at regular intervals. When the middle-order batsman’s resistance was ended for 78 by Nitin Tanwar, Vidarbha were left on 380 for eight. And five runs later the team were bowled out.
A Wakhare then dealt early blows by accounting for NK Singh and Amit Pachara to leave Services on 51 for two. 33 runs later, Karn Sharma claimed Ravi Chauhan for 44. Rahul Gahlaut then took the team to 138 with Tanwar until the latter was sent back by Wakhare.
At stumps, Gahlaut was batting on 57 with V Yadav on two.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/40
