Ranji Trophy 2019-20 | Elite Group C - All-round Parvez Rasool seals J&K qualification

02/06/2020

An all-round performance from skipper Parvez Rasool helped J&K beat Tripura by 329 runs in the eighth round clash at Agartala. Elsewhere, Maharashtra took command of the match against Odisha after skipper Ankit Bawne’s double century, while Chhattisgarh enforced the follow-on against Jharkhand.

Clinical J&K register sixth win of the season

Set a mammoth 449 to win in the fourth innings, Tripura was bundled out for 119 as visiting skipper Rasool added five more wickets to his first-innings collection of seven. His match figures of 12 for 73 along with a brisk 56 in the second innings earned him the Man-of-the-Match award. Earlier in the day, the visitors rode on half-centuries from Shubham Khajuria and Abdul Samad — besides Rasool’s — to mount 306 for nine (declared) on the board. With their sixth win, J&K moved to 39 points and sit four points clear of Odisha at the top of the table.

Ankit Bawne and Co. leave Odisha in tatters

Resuming the day at 219 for two, Maharashtra went from strength to strength on day three at the MCA Stadium in Pune. Though Ruturaj Gaikwad fell early having made 129, Bawne found company in Naushad Shaikh — who hit a century himself — and the duo added 180 runs together. After Shaikh fell on exactly 100, Rahul Tripathi walked in and smashed seven fours and four sixes en route a 48-ball 65. At the other end, Bawne went through to his double century, hitting 21 fours and a six in the process. In their second bout, Odisha reached 24 for no loss at stumps on day three — still trailing the hosts by 226 runs.

Jharkhand following on despite Virat Singh ton

Despite the valiant efforts of Virat, who struck 22 fours and a six in his 140, Jharkhand’s first innings folded at 242 in the first over after tea. With a lead of 317, Chhattisgarh skipper Harpreet Singh enforced the follow-on in a bid to go for a win with an extra point. While Veer Pratap Singh, Puneet Datey, and Ajay Jadav Mandal all picked up three wickets each in the hosts first innings, none of them could make an inroad the second time out. A resolute Jharkhand opening combo notched up a 51 runs in the 14 overs remaining in the day.