Ranji Group C: Services humiliate Assam

Services rode on their bowlers superlative performance to score an emphatic 10-wicket win over Assam on the third and penultimate day of their Ranji Trophy Group C match in New Delhi on Monday.

After bowling out Assam for 182 in their first innings, Services added just 24 runs to their overnight score before being bowled out for 326.

Medium pacer Shahdab Nazar's (6/50) six-wicket burst and Nishan Singh's (3/57) three wicket-haul then helped Services bundle out Assam for 170 runs in their second innings, thereby leaving a victory target of just 27 runs before the hosts which they achieved without any trouble.

Tarjinder Singh is the lone Assam batsman to have shown some sort of restence before the lethal Services bowling attack with a 54-run knock off 114 balls.

Earlier, middle-order batsman Rajat Paliwal turned out to be the star for Services in their first innings with a 167-run knock off 248 balls during which he hit 19 boundaries.

Apart from Paliwal, no other Services batsmen could produce a substantial kncok in their first innings.

By virtue of this win, Services have pocketed seven points from the match including one bonus point.

Brief Scores:
Assam: 182 & 170 all out in 60 overs (Tarjinder Singh 54, Shahdab Nazar 6/50).
Services: 326 & 27 for no loss in 7.2 overs (Anshul Gupta 17 not out, Soomik Chatarjee 8 not out).

AP beat J&K by a innings and 15 runs, pocket bonus point

Andhra Pradesh produced an all-round show to humiliate Jammu and Kashmir by an innings and 15 runs on the third and penultimate day of their Ranji Trophy Group C match in Jammu.

After bundling out Jammu and Kashmir for 153 runs in their first innings, Andhra Pradesh rode on A G Pradeep's 136-run knock to post 390, a vital first innings lead of 237 runs.

Apart from Pradeep, who struck 17 fours and a six during his 248-ball innings, veteran Amol Mazumdar (60), Syed Sahabuddin (55) and Rajesh Pawar (52) also made useful contributions with the bat.

With a healthy first innings lead at hand, Paidikalva Vijaykumar (3/33), Tekkami Atchuta Rao (3/40) and off-spinner Shaik Mahaboob Basha (3/79) shared nine wickets between them to bowl out Andhra Pradesh for 222 in their second innings, 15 runs short of the visitor's first innings score.

Ian Dev Singh top-scored for Jammu and Kashmir in their second essay with a 65-run knock that came off 136 deliveries and was studded with 12 boundaries.

By virtue of the emphatic victory, Andhra Pradesh took home seven crucial points, including a bonus point, from the encounter.

Brief Scores:
Jammu and Kashmir: 153 & 222 all out in 77 overs (Ian Dev Singh 65, Ram Eayal 47; Paidikalva Vijaykumar 3/33).
Andhra Pradesh: 390 all out in 112.1 overs (A G Pradeep 136, Amol Mazumdar 60; Ram Dayal 5/63).

Kerala in dire straits, Goa set to take lead

Kerala were in dire straits at 246 for six in their first innings in reply to Goa's mammoth 512/8 declared on the penultimate day of their Group C Ranji Trophy match in Perinthalmanna.

At the close of play, Rohan Prem was batting on 49 and Akshay Kodoth was unbeaten on 19.

Earlier, resuming at overnight score of 47/1, Kerala's overnight batsmen opener Abhishek Hegde 80 (198b, 10x4) and P U Anthaf 37 (4x4, 1x6) added 90 runs for the second wicket, giving them some hope. But the other batsmen could not contribute.

For Goa, S S Yadav was the most successful bowler, claiming 3/34, while Sourab Bhandekar 2/69 and Jakatti 1/58, gave ample support to put their team in a comfortable position.

Brief scores:
Goa: 512/8 decl.
Kerala: 246/6 in 110 overs (Abhishek Hegde 80, Rohan Premm 49 not out, P U Anthaf 37; S S Yadav 3/34, S Bhandekar 2/69, Jakatti 1/58).