Ranji Trophy 2019-20 | Elite Group B - Bowlers hand Tamil Nadu first win of the season
TNPL
A clinical bowling performance handed Tamil Nadu their first win of the 2019-20 season against Railways in Chennai. In the other matches, Uttar Pradesh and Saurashtra extended their stronghold over Mumbai and Madhya Pradesh, as Baroda kept things in balance against Himachal Pradesh.
TN crush Railways by an innings and 164 runs
In the end, Railways stood no chance before a brutal display from a strong TN side. Despite losing Dinesh Karthik early in the day, Baba Indrajith kept the scoreboard moving with a patient fifty. The home side was eventually dismissed for 330, which meant Railways needed at least 255 runs on the board to make them bat again. But two early wickets, much like in the first innings, saw Railways reduced to 76 for five when the teams broke for tea. But the match would only last another 9.4 overs after tea, as the spin-duo of Ravichandra Ashwin — who finished the match with seven wickets — Ravikrishnan Sai Kishore ran through the tail to bowl the visitors out of just 90.
Upendra Yadav hits a maiden double, UP in command
Resuming play at 281 for four, it was nearly all one-way traffic in favour of UP, despite the loss of both set batsmen — Akshdeep Nath and Rinku Singh — early on. In-form wicket-keeper batsman Upendra Yadav stitched together crucial partnerships with the tail and took UP’s total from 303 for six to 625 for eight (declared). Yadav himself struck 27 fours and three sixes en route a speedy double century. He found able partners in Saurabh Kumar (44), Ankit Rajpoot (32), and Yash Dayal (41 not out). Rajpoot, the UP skipper, then led from the front with the ball, by reducing Mumbai to 20 for two at stumps on day two at the Wankhede Stadium.
Saurashtra remain in control despite the fifties
With only the tail for company, Sheldon Jackson added 43 runs to his overnight score of 143 — and 49 to the team’s total — as the Saurashtra innings folded at 344. The 33-year-old hit a total of 25 fours and three sixes in his knock, right-arm medium pacer Gaurav Yadav picked up a five-for for Madhya Pradesh. Saurashtra skipper Jaydev Unadkat then led the charge with the ball, removing both openers, as MP slipped to 98 for five. However, an in-form Yash Dubey got Venkatesh Iyer for company and the duo ensured that the visitors would have no further success. Both hit fifties and took the team’s total to 183 for five — still 161 behind Saurashtra.
Vishnu Solanki fifty leads Baroda fightback
Continuing on, in their century-partnership from day one, Nikhil Gangta completed his half-century for Himachal Pradesh, before falling for 66. His partner, Amit Kumar, soon followed having scored 80, before wicket-keeper Ankush Bains combined with the tail to take his side to 496 in their first innings. Bains struck eight fours and two sixes in his 75, while three bowlers took three wickets each for Baroda. Disaster struck early in the visitors’ reply as they lost skipper Kedar Devdhar cheaply. But his partner Aditya Waghmode — who made 40 — consolidated the innings along with an in-form Solanki. After Waghmode fell with the total at 93, Solanki batted through to stumps — reaching 85 with 14 fours — along with veteran Yusuf Pathan, who was on 21 at stumps.
