Mumbai, Dec 23: Punjab were 203 for the loss of four wickets in their second innings at stumps, with a day to go, against Mumbai as they struggled to stay alive in the 2011-12 Ranji Trophy tournament. When play ended today at the Wankhede stadium, Uday Kaul (63*) and Bipul Sharma (1*) were at the wicket for the visitors.
Resuming on the overnight score of 308 for the loss of five wickets, Ramesh Powar and Ankeet Chavan scored at a rapid pace to help the hosts reach 430 for the loss of eight wickets in the first innings. Due to injuries to Sushant Marathe and Avishkar Salvi, Mumbai’s first innings came to an end at the fall of the eighth wicket.
Powar hit 11 boundaries and two sixes during his 98-ball innings of 81. The Mumbai batsman got out trying to take the aerial route off Rahul Sharma, only to be caught at long-on by Harmeet Singh. Although Powar returned to the pavilion after a 125-run partnership for the sixth wicket, Chavan continued to score fluently against the Punjab bowlers and reached his half-century with a straight drive off Navdeep Singh. The batsman entertained with four hits over the fence and eight boundaries before being sent back by Bipul Sharma. With Rahul Sharma striking in the next over to send back Balwinder Singh Sandhu (Jr) (12), Mumbai’s first innings ended with a 204-run lead before lunch.
Kshemal Waingankar, who had remained unbeaten on one when the host’s innings ended, struck to give Mumbai an early breakthrough with the wicket of Ravi Inder Singh in the fourth over of the Punjab innings. But Sarul Kanwar hit a flurry of boundaries as the visitors raced to 41 for the loss of one wicket off six overs before lunch. However, Balwinder Sandhu trapped Kanwar lbw in the second session to end his 29-ball 48 run cameo. Mayank Sidhana, who had earlier survived a run-out and was also dropped by Mumbai skipper Wasim Jaffer in the slips, departed for 57 while trying to hit Powar through the covers, only to be caught at mid-wicket by Kaustubh Pawar. The end of the 124-run stand between Sidhana and Uday Kaul brought Amitoze Singh (10) to the crease who was yorked by Waingankar towards the end of day’s play.
Railways v Saurashtra: Saurashtra completed an easy win against Railways in their Elite – Group A encounter. After offspinner Kamlesh Makvana’s five-wicket haul had reduced Railways to 97 for six in their second innings, Ravindra Jadeja took three wickets on Day 3 to give Saurashtra a 97-run win.
Rajasthan v Orissa: Rajasthan cruised to a comfortable innings and 56 runs victory against Orissa on Day 3 of their Ranji Trophy Elite – Group A encounter. Sumit Mathur’s five-wicket haul helped the hosts bow out the visitors for a paltry 134 runs in the first innings while medium-pacer Rituraj Singh’s six for 75 helped bring an end to Orissa’s second innings for a modest total of 233.
Tamil Nadu v MPCA: Tamil Nadu took a comfortable 227-run lead against Madhya Pradesh on Day 3 of their Elite-Group B tie being played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. After an all-round performance by Chennai’s bowlers helped bowl the visitors out for 289 (first innings lead of 197), Chennai were 30 for the loss of two wickets when stumps were called.
Karnataka v UPCA: Mohammad Kaif’s 152 off 297 deliveries helped Uttar Pradesh gain a vital 105-run first innings lead against Karnataka in the Elite- Group A encounter played between the two sides. Batting overnight on 101, Kaif put on 108 for the eighth wicket with Amir Khan (67 not-out) to take UP past Karnataka’s first innings score.
Karnataka were 158 for two in reply in their second innings, with captain Ganesh Satish unbeaten on 70, when play ended on Day 3.
Baroda v Bengal: An innings of 111 from Anustup Majumdar and a vital contribution of 99 from Laxmi Ratan Shukla put Bengal in a comfortable position against Baroda on Day 3 of their Ranji Trophy Elite – Group B encounter. Bengal were eventually bowled out for 390 in their first innings, thereby taking a 106-run lead against the hosts. However, Ashok Dinda’s three wickets in 14 overs added to Baroda’s woes as the hosts were left fighting at 103 for five when stumps were called on Day 3.
Remaining scorecards:
