Ranji Trophy 2019-20 | Elite Group A - Bengal clinch thriller, race for top four tightens
Bengal chased down 320 in the fourth innings to clinch a thrilling two-wicket win in their eighth round clash against Rajasthan at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. Elsewhere, Vidarbha and Kerala were forced to settle for a point each as rain played spoilsport for a second day running.
Shahbaz Ahmed stars in two-wicket win
When play began on day four, Bengal needed 135 runs to win with as many as six wickets in hand. However, the tables turned against them quickly on the final morning as both well-set batsmen in Shreevats Goswami and Anustup Majumdar were dismissed inside the first six overs. Then Shahbaz took control and — together with Arnab Nandi (20) and Akash Deep (22) — took the visitors home with two wickets to spare almost an hour after lunch. For his unbeaten 61, which included four fours and two sixes, to go with his two wickets, Shahbaz won the Man-of-the-Match award. The six points push Bengal up to fourth place (26 points) in the Cross Pool table, three behind leaders Gujarat.
Rain spoils Vidarbha-Kerala clash
With Kerala reaching 191 for three at stumps on day two in reply to Vidarbha’s 326, the match was set up perfectly. But it seems the rain gods had ideas of their own as two days of play was washed out due to wet outfield. Both teams go back home with a point each which, as of now, seems insufficient for either of their causes. MD Nidheesh was awarded the Man-of-the-Match award for his fifer in Vidarbha's first-innings.
Delhi, Gujarat settle for a draw
In the end, Delhi and Gujarat settled for a draw at the Arun Jaitley Stadium — with the visitors taking two extra points home for taking a first-innings lead. Earlier in the day, Delhi stretched their overnight lead from 186 to 291 courtesy half-centuries from Jonty Sidhu and Himmat Singh. Axar Patel picked up four for 91 as Gujarat were left an improbable 292-run target. Despite losing skipper Priyank Panchal early, cameos from Samit Gohel and Bhargav Merai steadied the ship. Manprit Juneja — Man-of-the-Match for his tally of 175 runs in the match — followed up his first-innings century with an unbeaten 51 to see the visitors through to 128 for two before the captains shook hands.
