FIRST things first. Vidarbha achieved their first target of getting a first innings lead against Haryana in the last league match of Ranji Trophy Group A under way at VCA Civil Lines ground on Sunday. After taking a handy lead of 90 runs, Vidarbha swelled it to 203 by end of the penultimate day with six wickets standing. A wasteful run out in last over of the day cost them vital wicket of Dhruv Shorey (43; 104b, 5x4). Shorey called for an non-existent single after a hard push to mid-off and was rightly sent back by skipper Akshay Wadkar (7*; 18b). In response to Vidarbha’s first innings score of 423, Haryana could reach 333. In their second attempt, Vidarbha were 113-4 in 38.2 overs. Now, the hosts need to be patient and bat out the day if possible or at least ensure that there is no collapse that might give an opening to the visitors. In case of a draw, Vidarbha will get three points from the game and will end with 30 points topping the group. Saurashtra with a bonus-point win over Manipur have total 29 points and have qualified for the quarter-finals. Only an upset win by Haryana would change the equation.

 

Services can also reach 29 points if they beat Maharashtra with bonus point but they fall short on number of wins count. Starting the day at 198-4, Haryana skipper Ashok Menaria (11; 32b, 1x4) was the first to go. He was trapped lbw by seamer Yash Thakur after adding seven runs to his overnight score. Centurion Nishant Sindhu (131; 164b, 19x4, 1x6) followed 18 runs later at 228 when off-spinner Akshay Wakhare found his edge that was snapped by Karun Nair at first slip. IPL star Rahul Tewatia (59; 98b, 8x4, 1x6), who mixed caution and aggression to get to fifty, saw stumper Rohit Sharma get run out by Faiz Fazal for 15 and Sumit Kumar off Aditya Sarvate for 2. He and Anshul Kamboj (31; 43b, 6x4) played some entertaining cricket before a direct hit from Wakhare found a casual Tewatia short of his crease. Soon the innings folded.

 

Sarvate (3-59) and Thakur (3-79) shared six wickets. Vidarbha’s seasoned opener Faiz Fazal, who announced his retirement from First-Class cricket and was playing his last match, was welcomed to the ground by players of both teams. But the southpaw ended a glorious domestic career with a golden duck. On very first ball of Vidarbha’s second innings, Faiz was caught at gully by Ankit Kumar off pacer Anshul Kamboj. Shorey and Atharva Taide (49; 74b, 5x4, 1x6) put on 74 for the second wicket before the latter under-edged offie Jayant Yadav on to his stumps. Karun Nair (11; 33b, 1x4) looked good until he was declared lbw to left-arm spinner Sindhu. The batter stood his ground for a few seconds as the umpire held the dreaded finger till he started walking back. Shorey and Wadkar put on twenty runs before that uncalled for single got better of the former Delhi batter.