Madhya Pradesh pulled off a convincing win against Baroda in the first round of Ranji Trophy 2017-18. Yusuf Pathan scored an unbeaten century and was complimented by Atit Sheth (109) in putting up a fight.
Chhattisgarh’s Sumit Ruikar claimed his maiden ten-wicket haul in first-class cricket against Goa. Punjab debutant Abhishek Gupta scored a double-hundred in the run-fest in Dharamsala even as the visitors conceded the first innings lead.
Delhi, Bengal, J &K, Andhra, Himachal, Chhattisgarh secured first innings lead in drawn matches.
Here are the highlights of the day:
Group ADelhi vs Assam in New Delhi: The exciting match between Delhi and Assam ended in a draw with Ishant Sharma-led team gaining three points on the basis of the first innings lead.
After resuming the innings on 60 for three, Assam were bowled out for 255 later on the last day giving Delhi a chance to claim an outright win.
Trailing by 117 runs with seven wickets in hand, S Roy and Tarjinder Singh commenced Assam’s second innings on Day 4. With 40 runs added to the overnight total, Tarjinder was trapped lbw by Manan Sharma. 61 runs later he accounted for Roy to leave the side on 161 for five. Wasiqur Rahman made a fighting 168-ball 63 while the Delhi attack dealt blows at regular intervals.
Manan finished with three wickets while Milind and NA Saini picked two each and Pulkit Naran and K Khejroliya chipped in with a wicket each to bowl Assam out.
Chasing the 79-run target, Delhi were 49 for two when the match ended in a draw.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/01Uttar Pradesh vs Railways in Lucknow: Railways won by 21 runs on Day 3.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/11 Hyderabad vs Maharashtra in Hyderabad: Match abandoned due to inclement weather and wet outfield.
Group B Haryana vs Saurashtra in Lahli: Saurashtra won by innings and 31 runs on Day 3.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/08Team Rajasthan vs J & K in Jaipur: Visitors Jammu & Kashmir claimed three points on the basis of first innings lead while Team Rajasthan received one point from the drawn match.
Resuming on 432 for six on the fourth morning, J & K declared their innings on 436 for eight. Samiullah Beigh was sent back on his overnight score of one by TM Ul Haq while Waseem Raza was bowled by Pankaj Singh. With Punit Bisht not out on six, J & K declared their innings with a 106-run first innings lead.
Team Rajasthan were 246 for four in their second innings when the match was called off in a draw. RK Bishnoi Sr. scored an unbeaten in the innings until play was called off later in the day.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/09
Kerala vs Jharkhand in Trivandrum: Kerala won by nine wickets on Day 3.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/10 Group COdisha vs Tripura in Bhubhaneswar: After resuming on six without loss on the final morning of the game, Tripura posted 194 for eight before declaring their innings. U Bose scored a century while Dhiraj Singh claimed a five-for in the innings.
When the match ended, Odisha were 18 for one in the first innings.On the account of first innings being unfinished both teams were awarded a point each from the rain-affected drawn match.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/06 Madhya Pradesh vs Baroda in Indore: Madhya Pradesh pulled off an eight-wicket win to kick off the 2017-18 season with a win over Baroda. They received six points for the victory.
Following on, Baroda were reduced to 68 for seven by the hosts after resuming their second innings on 41 for one in the morning. Once again Yusuf Pathan led Baroda’s fightback. Yusuf, Baroda’s centurion in the first innings found an able ally in the lower-order bat Atit Sheth. The duo forged a 218-run partnership as they kept the innings afloat and averted an innings defeat. Sheth scored his maiden first-class century until he was sent back by Mihir Hirwani for 109 leaving the team on 286 for eight.
Yusuf was stranded on 136 as Hirwani then followed up with the wickets of L Meriwala and B Pathan to wrap-up the innings for 318.
Chasing the 70-run target, MP lost two wickets in the first over. Sheth accounted for Wasim Ahmed and Naman Ojha off successive deliveries to leave the hosts on 0/2. Rajat Patidar and Harpreet Singh Bhatia then took MP to the finish line.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/05Tamil Nadu vs Andhra in Chennai: Andhra claimed three points on the basis of first innings lead in the drawn match with Tamil Nadu, who received one point.
At 112 for two, TN were trailing by 21 runs when they resumed their second innings on the final day of the game. Skipper Abhinav Mukund scored 95 while Baba Aparajith made a patient 108* off 212 balls.
Murali Vijay, who had retired hurt earlier, returned to score a half-century. Having conceded the first innings lead, the home team declared in an effort to go for a win. Declaring their innings on 350 for six, they set Andhra a 218-run target.
Andhra had their task cut out with a respectable total to chase and the lineup strove to make a game of it. DB Prashanth Kumar and KS Bharat built an 85-run opening stand until Rahil Shah claimed the former off his own bowling. 25 runs later he castled Bharat to keep the match hanging in the balance. Ricky Bhui and B Sumanth scored at a quick pace in an effort to maintain the momentum.
The match was precariously poised as Vignesh K ended Bhui’s run-a-ball 40 while R Ashwin accounted for Ashwin Hebber to leave Andhra on 185 for four. Two runs later, B Sumanth was sent back by Vignesh K while Ashwin dismissed A Bandaru in the next over. Nine runs later, GH Vihari was Vignesh K’s third wicket which left the visitors on 198 for seven. Two balls later with Bhargav Bhatt and SM Khan yet to open their accounts with Andhra still needing 20 runs to win, the thrilling match ended in a draw.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/07Group D
Services vs Bengal in New Delhi: Bengal claimed three points on the basis of first innings lead in the drawn match against Services while the visitors were awarded one point.
Building on the 193-run lead, Bengal declared their second innings on 161 for five on the last day thus setting Services a 355target. After resuming on 77 without loss, the hosts lost AK Raman to DG Pathania on the overnight score. 20 runs later Sudip Chatterjee was sent back by Suraj Yadav who also followed up with wicket of AR Eswaran to leave Bengal on 117 for three. Manoj Tiwary remained unbeaten on 22 while Pathania claimed Wriddhiman Saha and Ashoke Dinda. The Bengal skipper was batting with Mohammed Shami on eight when he declared the innings on 161 for five.
The Bengal attack then struck at regular intervals while Services batsmen strove to keep the innings in the fray. Anustup Mujumdar and Kanishk Seth claimed two wickets each while Dinda, Shami and Aamir Gani picked a wicket apiece. Vikas Hathwala top-scored for the visitors with 64 runs as they plodded on for a draw. When the match was called off, Services were 212 for seven.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/02 Goa vs Chhattisgarh in Porvorim: Chhattisgarh claimed three points on the basis of first innings lead while Goa picked one point as the match ended in a draw.
After resuming their first innings on 223 for four Goa were bowled out for 282 and asked to follow-on by the visitors. SS Ruikar’s five-for helped Chhattisgarh secure a first innings lead and enforce the follow-on. The bowler then came back to pick a five-for to complete his maiden ten-wicket haul in first-class cricket. Goa were left reeling on 170 for seven when the match was called off in a draw.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/03Himachal vs Punjab in Dharamsala: After Prashant Chopra helped HP raise a mammoth total, GK Singh’s six-wicket haul helped the hosts’ bowl Punjab out for 601 and secure a first innings lead. Resuming the Punjab innings on 484 for six, debutant Abhishek Gupta who was unbeaten on 129 when he resumed his innings on the last morning, went on to score a double hundred. While he scored 202 off 203 balls, fellow debutant Abhishek Sharma scored 94 off 186 balls. The pair added 239 runs for the seventh wicket to keep the innings afloat after coming together at 274 for six.
Abhishek Sharma was the first to return to the pavilion on the fourth morning; trapped lbw by AN Chauhan leaving the team on 513 for seven. A little later GK Singh accounted for Sandeep Sharma while Abhishek Gupta was bowled by AP Vashisht leaving Punjab on 590 for nine. 11 runs later, Rishi Dhawan dismissed Barinder Sran to bowl Punjab out.
Building on the 128-run first innings lead, Himachal were 145 for six in their second when the match was called off after Tea on the last day.
Himachal received three points on the basis of a first innings lead while Punjab picked one point from the drawn match.
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http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/04
