The Ranji Trophy. (Representative)Ranji Trophy Semi Final Highlights Day 4, Bengal Vs Madhya Pradesh, Saurashtra Vs Karnataka: Sheldon Jackson’s brilliant 160 meant Saurashtra still trail by only 43 runs against Karnataka coming into the fourth day. The visitors ended the day with 364/4 on day 3. In addition, skipper Arpit Vasavda slammed an impressive ton and stayed not out at the stumps. With him, Chirag Jani 19(42) is at the crease.
Karnataka started day 3 on the front foot but was put under pressure by Jackson and Vasavda’s partnership of 232 runs for the fourth wicket. Apart from Vidwath Kaverappa’s two early wickets, the bowling of Karnataka looked lack lustred. Vasuki Koushik and off-spinner Krishanppa Goutham picked up a wicket each.
Elsewhere in the other semifinal in Indore, Bengal would look to score some quick runs on Day 4 and would be looking to put hosts to bat again and finish the game. Earlier on Day 3 Madhya Pradesh was bundled for 170 runs and Bengal decided to bat again. At the end of the day’s play, the visitors were 59-2 with Sudip Kumar Gharami 12(40) and Anustup Majumdar 9(50) at the crease. Akash Deep picked up five wickets for Bengal and was the wrecker-in-chief. Madhya Pradesh couldn’t put up much of a show with the bat on a flat track. Apart from Sarnash Jain’s 69, there haven’t been any significant contributions from the other batters.
Saurashtra batter Sheldon Jackson after slamming a ton against Karnataka. (PTI)
And it's stumps for both games at Day 4 as Bengal are 279/9 in 118.6 overs against Madhya Pradesh while Karnataka are 123/4 in 26.4 overs against Saurashtra.
Mayank Agarwal departs for Karnataka after scoring a half century. In the other semifinal, Pradipta Pramanik has scored 53 runs after playing 89 balls.
Saransh Jain takes 6 wickets as Bengal are 223/9.
Kumar Kartikeya takes out Anustup Majumdar for 80 runs. Bengal go 6 wickets down.
Vidwath Kaverappa with a 5-wicket haul!! Saurashtra end at 527. Lead by 120 runs.
Manoj Tiwary (15 off 67) and Abhishek Porel (1 off 7) depart. Bengal, 167/5 but still the favorites at Holkar with that giant 435 run lead.
Anustup Majumdar brings up his half century. That's his third this season, aside from three hundreds. 700 plus runs, he has been a rock in the Bengal batting lineup. The lead grows to 426, Bengal are 158/3.
Chiraj Jani departs. Run out by Manish Pandey. Bengal five down but the lead is 426 run strong. Arpit Vasavada (157*) still going at it. 158/3.
Arpit Vasavada brings up his daddy hundred. Chirag Jani has also scored his half century and Saurashtra lead by 46 runs in the first session on day four. A 46-run lead and it looks like they can add quite more to it with six wickets in hand.
Madhya Pradesh get their first breakthrough of the day. Saransh Jain traps Sudip Kumar Gharami (41 off 112) leg before wicket. Bengal, 124/3. Lead of 392 runs.
Saurashtra cross 400. Arpit Vasavada (130) and Chirag Jani (40) in the middle at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. They have taken the lead against Karnataka. 408/4.
Bengal cross the triple figure mark in the second innings. Madhya Pradesh running out of answers at the moment as the lead approaches the 400 run mark.
Piling onto their lead of 327 at the end of day three, Sudip Kumar Gharami (34) and Anustup Majumdar (20) look in no hurry at the Holkar Stadium, Indore on day four. The team total inching closer to 100 while the lead is now 361. Remember, Bengal still have eight wickets in hand. 93/2.
“To be honest, there is nothing to say, jo mooh kholna tha sab khol diya (what i had to say was said), nothing happened. I now, have left it to to my destiny”
Sheldon Jackson was once again asked the same question that he has been asked many times before. Does he feel disappointed that selectors never looked at him as an option and does red ball performance really count. At 36, he has 6382 runs in first class cricket with an average of 48.34. He has been one of the pillars of Saurashtra’s success over the years but he never got the recognition for it. [Read more]
Bengal pacer Akash Deep bowled a game-changing spell en route to a five-wicket haul to put his team in the driver's seat against defending champions Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy semifinal here on Friday.
Akash Deep (5/42) , who played a key role in their win over Jharkhand in the quarterfinals, rattled Madhya Pradesh's recovery act led by overnight batter Saransh Jain (65), claiming two wickets in two balls.
Sheldon Jackson and skipper Arpit Vasavada struck a century each as Saurashtra turned the tables on Karnataka, posting 364 for 4 in their first innings in reply to the opposition's 407 on the third day of their Ranji Trophy semi-final here on Friday.
Jackson, who started at the overnight score of 27, made 160 off 245 balls and decorated his knock with 23 boundaries and two sixes, while Vasavada remained unbeaten on 112 (219 balls, 15x4s) as the duo shared 232 runs for the fourth wicket to bring Saurashtra back into the contest.
It's a glorious day for red-ball cricket!
India vs Australia day three action in Nagpur. Day four Ranji Trophy semifinal action. Saurashtra (364/4), lead by 43 runs at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. Arpit Vasavada (112* off 219) has been a firm figure in the middle. Earlier Sheldon Jackson (160 off 245) had helped take the game away from Karnataka.
In Indore, Bengal lead by a whopping 327 runs in the second innings, having bundled the defending champions, Madhya Pradesh for 170. They'll resume the innings from 59/2 with Sudip Kumar Gharami and Anustup Majumdar in the middle. Stay tuned for all the updates.