Ranji semis: Akash Deep puts Bengal in driver's seat; Saurashtra fightback

Akash Deep's five-for puts Bengal in driver's seat against MP

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 in Indore 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.

He uprooted Jain's off-stump and in the next ball trapped Kumar Kartikeya leg-before to breathe life into Bengal's lacklustre attack, which also has Ishan Porel and Mukesh Kumar.

He grabbed his fourth five-wicket haul in first-class cricket dismissing Avesh Khan before Madhya Pradesh were bowled out for 170 when their No. 11 batter Gaurav Yadav was run out.

Bengal took a huge first innings lead of 268 runs but skipper Manoj Tiwary did not enforce follow-on.

Bengal ended the third day on 59 for 2, with an overall lead of 327 runs to inch closer to the final.

The two-time Ranji champions last reached the final in 2020 where they lost to Saurashtra.

Bengal are yet to win the Ranji Trophy since 1989-90.

Much like the first innings, the opening duo of Abhimanyu Easwaran (19) and Karan Lal (17) departed in quick succession.

First innings centurion duo of Sudip Gharami (12 batting) and Anustup Majumdar (9 batting) were at the crease with two more days to go.

Earlier resuming at the overnight score of 56 for 2, night watchman Anubhav Agarwal departed with the addition of just two runs after edging one off Mukesh Kumar

At the other end, Akash Deep cleaned up Rajat Patidar for a duck, while left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed dismissed MP skipper Aditya Srivastava (7) as half of their side were out in the pavilion for 89.

Venkatesh Iyer looked to counter-attack and smashed Akash Deep for a six, but he became Ahmed's second victim.

But the left-right combination of Jain and Shubham Sharma (44 not out) resisted Bengal with their resolute partnership of 54 runs.

Jain made full use of a reprieve on 37 to complete his fifty as they duo looked at ease.

But Akash triggered the collapse after he was brought back into the attack in the post-lunch session.

Brief Scores: Bengal: 438 and 59 for 2 in 29 overs vs Madhya Pradesh 170 in 79 overs (Saransh Jain 65, Shubham Sharma 44 batting; Akash Deep 5/42, Shahbaz Ahmed 2/30). Bengal lead by 327 runs. 

Jackson, Vasavada tons turn it around for Saurashtra

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 in Bengaluru.

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.

Giving Vasavada company at the crease at stumps was Chirag Jani (19 not out).

Saurashtra trail Karnataka by just 43 runs with six wickets in hands and two full days' play remaining.

Resuming at the overnight score of 76 for 2, Saurashtra did not have a good start as they lost Harvik Desai (33) inside five overs, trapped LBW by Vasuki Koushik.

But then came the turnaround as Jackson and Vasavada joined hands and played patiently to build a partnership.

The duo displayed classical Test match temperament, defending the good balls but not hesitating to dispatch the bad deliveries to the boundary.

It was complete frustration for the Karnataka bowlers as they failed to break the partnership or trouble the duo, who looked determined.

Off-spinner Krishnappa Gowtham (1/68) finally broke the partnership in the 98th over, trapping Jackson in front of the wicket but by then it was too late as Saurashtra had already undone the hard work of Karnataka skipper Mayank Agarwal, who scored 249 in the first innings to more-or-less single-handedly take his side past the 400-run mark.

Brief Scores: Karnataka 1st Innings: 407 all out in 133.3 overs (Mayank Agarwal 249, Srinivas Sharath 66; Chetan Sakariya 3/73, Kushang Patel 3/109).

Saurashtra 1st Innings: 364 for 4 in 112 overs (Sheldon Jackson 160, Arpit Vasavada 112 batting; Vidwath Kaverappa 2/64).