Saurashtra take 31-run lead against Chandigarh
Chandigarh lads fall flat against Saurashtra during their last match of the Ranji Trophy season at the Sector 16 cricket stadium today.
Saurashtra recorded a 31-run lead on the opening day as Jaydev Unadkat scripted Chandigarh’s first innings downfall at a mere 136.
Unadkat returned to the hut with an impressive figure of 4/44 in 14 overs. He found ample support from his teammates Chetan Sakariya (2/43), Chirag Jani (2/18) and Prerak Mankad (1/19).
The host batters put up an embarrassing show and were packed at 136 runs in 42.1 overs.
Skipper Unadkat won the toss and given the weather conditions, put Chandigarh to bat. On the fourth ball of the first over, Unadkat trapped Shivam Bhambri (0). The experiment in Chandigarh line-up didn’t work further, as on the very next ball skipper Manan Vohra (0) was run-out by DA Jadeja.
In the third over, Vaibhav Narang (0) turned out to be the second man trapped by Unadkat. At 2/3, the local batters were seen struggling in the initial overs. However, as the innings progressed and sun emerged, Arjun Azad and Arjit Singh recorded a 42-run stand for the fourth wicket. However, Azad (20 off 32 balls, with three boundaries) was caught by Mankad off Jani, and the trouble started again for the side. Arjit (29 off 60 balls) then raised 19-run stand with Raj Angad Bawa, who was recalled for the last match, before getting accounted by Jani.
Bawa (14) was the next to go, as he was caught by Harvik Desai off Unadkat when the team’s total was 77. Vishu (18) and Jagjit raised another small partnership of 16 runs, before the former failed to avoid a fine delivery by Mankad. Sandhu posted 29 off 54 balls before getting claimed by Sakariya. Unadkat accounted Nishunk Birla (12) and Sakariya got his second wicket by claiming Rohit Danda (3) as Chandigarh innings came to end.
Saurashtra had posted 167/1 when the stumps were drawn for the day. Chandigarh achieved the only success through Sandhu, as he accounted Jani (20 off 53 balls). Desai smashed 80 off 117 balls, with nine boundaries and a six, while Jay Gohil posted 61 off 59 balls, with 10 boundaries and a six. The duo raised 97-run unbeaten stand for the second wicket.
Punjab vs Karnataka
Meanwhile, Punjab recovered well and posted 303/9 against Karnataka at IS Bindra PCA Stadium in Mohali. Playing in absence of Indian skipper Shubman Gill and pacer Arshdeep Singh, Punjab lost opener Prabhsimran Singh (5). However, a 102-run stand between Abhijeet Garg and Uday Saharan helped the side to get back in the game.
Saharan posted 44 off 62 balls, with six boundaries and a six, before falling prey to Mohsin Khan. The hosts then lost couple of wickets—Jashanpreet Singh (6) and Anmolpreet Singh (0)—in quick succession before Anmol Malhotra (25) stabled the innings with Garg. The duo raised a 49-run partnership, before Garg departed off Shreyas for 81 off 133 balls, with eight boundaries and two sixes. He was replaced with Emanjot Singh Chahal, who came up with a brilliant 77-unbetean off 134 balls, with eight boundaries and a six, before Ayush Goyal (23 off 82 balls) and Harpreet Brar (9) lost their wickets. Chahal and Goyal raised 81-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Sukdeep Bajwa (20) was the last man out for Punjab, as Anmoljeet (0) closed the day unbeaten with Chahal.
Gopal (3/48) and Vidyadhar Patil (3/46) shared wickets for the bowling side, while Mohsin Khan picked 2/85, and Indian bowler M Prasidh claimed 1/58.
Tribute to Bindra
Before the start of the match, both teams and PCA officials paid tributes to IS Bindra, who breathed his last on January 25. Players, match officials and PCA officials observed one-minute silence as a tribute to Bindra, the administrator who took the sport to the highest level in India and Punjab. Players of both teams, including Indian wicketkeeper batsman KL Rahul, wore black armbands.
