Ranji round-up: Jiwanjot, Mandeep lead Punjab's comeback vs Delhi

Jiwanjot Singh's brilliant century and captain Mandeep Singh's fluent half-century helped Punjab stage a great comeback to gain the upperhand against Delhi, on the third day of the Ranji Trophy Group A match in New Delhi, on Tuesday.

Punjab, who were bowled out for 74 in the first innings, posted 402 in their second essay courtesy of Jiwanjot's 147 and Mandeep's 80.

In reply, hosts Delhi were reeling at 60 for three after being set a tough target of 327 at the Roshnara Club Ground.

It will be an interesting final day on Wednesday as Delhi require another 267 runs for victory with only seven wickets in hand with India discard Virender Sehwag yet to bat.

Delhi opener Unmukt Chand was bowled for a duck as he didn't offer a stroke to an inswinger from Sandeep Sharma.

Vaibhav Rawal (35) looked good during his hour-long stay before he inside edged it back on to his stumps off Manpreet Gony. Mithun Manhas (0) had a poor match as he was bowled by an incoming delivery from seamer Jaskaran Singh.

Skipper Gautam Gambhir (22 not out) was battling out in the middle with nightwatchman Ashish Nehra for company.

It was a day when Punjab batsmen totally dominated the proceedings with skipper Mandeep Singh playing an important role. While Jiwanjot played his defensive game chipping away with singles and odd boundaries, Mandeep started attacking the Delhi bowlers.

He took on the experienced Nehra (4/101) pulling him for a six over midwicket and then lofted Rajat Bhatia in the next over for boundary over mid-on. Mandeep's 80 came off 113 balls with eight fours and a six. The fourth wicket partnership with Jiwanjot yielded 159 runs and it was the foundation for the big lead for Punjab.

Mandeep was unlucky when a delivery from Navdeep kept really low and he was trapped leg before.

In the post-lunch session, Gurkeerat Singh (24) and Jiwanjot were out in quick succession. Having played only 12 minutes short of seven hours, the right-hander was finally dismissed by Saini who induced an edge taken by wicketkeeper Rahul Yadav.

Brief Scores:

Punjab: 74 and 402 (Jiwanjot Singh 147, Mandeep Singh 80, Gitansh Khera 49, Ashish Nehra 4/101).

Delhi: 150 & 60/3 (Gautam Gambhir 22 batting).

Karnataka-Mumbai match set for thrilling finish on Day 4

Manish Pandey (119) hit a timely century and raised a 133-run stand with Ravikumar Samarth (75) to help Karnataka reach 287 for eight in their second innings against Mumbai in their Group A Ranji match, on the third day.

After folding Mumbai first innings at 269 in the morning, Karnataka are now 269 runs ahead of Mumbai, who took a vital lead of 18 runs before Siddesh Lad fell short of a deserved century by seven runs.

When stumps were drawn for the third day, tailenders KP Appanna and HS Sharath were batting on four and six, respectively.

Earlier, Pandey and Samarth kept the hopes alive for Karnataka to push for an outright victory despite conceding the first innings lead to Mumbai.

Karnataka began their second innings badly as they lost make-shift opener Karun Nair and stop-gap number three batsman Shreyas Gopal, cheaply for seven and zero, leaving the hosts
tottering at 32 for two.

Mumbai, however, did not capitalise on the upperhand and lost the opportunity to mount pressure and attack Karnataka batsmen, especially Pandey, whose confidence had dipped after
scoring just one in the first innings.

"We should have attacked Karnataka batsmen, especially Pandey after the hosts were struggling at 32 for two. We should have had three slips than two, and placed attacking field," Mumbai coach Sulakshan Kulkarni said.

Pandey looked in a hurry and cracked a quick-fire century off 47 balls with 13 boundaries and two sixes. Samarth also paced his innings superbly by belting 10 boundaries after facing 111 balls.

CM Gautam (11) and Stuart Binny (18), made brief appearances and gave useful support to Pandey. The centurion lost his wicket to leg-spinner Vishal Dabholkar, handing a catch to Wasim Jaffer.

For Mumbai, pacers Javed Khan and Saurabh Netrawalkar, and Dabholkar bagged two wickets each, while Shardul Thakur and Pawar picked a wicket apiece.

Resuming on 217 for seven, Mumbai were all out for 269 runs as they batted for 13.4 overs in the morning for an addition of 52 runs.

Lad (93) added 34 more runs to his overnight 59 before was the last batsman out.

Pacer Sharath added two more wickets to end with figures of five for 57 while Pandey claimed the eighth wicket of the visitors.

Brief scores:

Karnataka: 251 and 287-8 (M Pandey 119, R Samarth 75, S Netravalkar 2-42).

Mumbai: 269 all out (S Lad 93, J Khan 48, HS Sharath 5-57, S Gopal 3-52).

Pacers Rajpoot, Ahmed ensure first innings lead for UP

Pacers Ankit Rajpoot and Imtiaz Ahmed wrecked havoc with the new ball to bundle out Madhya Pradesh for 115 and ensure a vital 135-runs first innings lead for Uttar Pradesh on the third and penultimate day of the Ranji Trophy Group B match, in Kanpur.

Rajpoot (5 for 37) and Ahmed (4 for 39) used the favourable cold and misty conditions at the Green Park stadium to perfection to bowl out MP for the paltry score in their first essay in reply to UP's 250 after the second day's play was called off on Monday without a single ball being bowled due to bad weather.

Resuming their innings at four for no loss, MP batsmen found the duo of Rajpoot and Ahmed tough to handle as wickets fell like nine pins before the visitors were bowled out in 47.1 overs.

Anand Bais was the top scorer for MP with a 45-ball 28 followed by Mohnish Mishra (22).

At stumps, UP were 78 for three in their second innings, to stretch their overall lead to 213 runs.

Skipper Suresh Raina was unbeaten on on 41 and giving him company was Mohammad Kaif on four.

For MP, fast bowler Puneet Datey scalped two wickets for 34 runs.

Brief Scores:

UP: 250 and 78 for three in 24 overs (Suresh Raina 41 not out; Puneet Datey 2/34).

MP: 115 all out in 47.1 overs (Anand Bais 28; Ankit Rajpoot 5/37, Imtiaz Ahmed 4/39).

Baroda in control against Saurashtra

Baroda gained the upper hand as they extended their overall lead to 296 against Saurashtra on Day 3 of their Ranji Trophy Group B match in Rajkot.

Despite Saurashtra medium pacer Jaydev Unadkat taking four wickets in Baroda's second innings, the visitors, who had a crucial 89-run first innings lead, ended the day in a comfortable position at 207 for six.

Pinal Shah and Utkarsh Patel were both unbeaten on 31 at stumps on the third day.

Baroda lost opener Dhiren Mistry (10) and No. 3 batsman Kedar Devdhar (21) early as Saurashtra threatened to stage a comeback.

But Saurabh Wakaskar, who hit a century in the first innings, played another crucial knock of 69 and added 74 runs for the third wicket with Aditya Waghmode (28) to take the visitors to safety.
          
A dramatic collapse engineered by Unadkat again pushed Baroda on to the backfoot as he dismissed Wakaskar, Waghmode, Irfan Pathan (0) and Yusuf Pathan (17) in quick succession to leave Baroda reeling 158 for 6 before they recovered in the final session.

Unadkat was the most successful bowler taking four for 30, while Vishal Joshi claimed two for 46.

Earlier, resuming at 215 for six, Baroda spinners Utkarsh Patel and Murtua Vahora picked up wickets at regular intervals to wrap up Saurashtra for 311.

Patel removed overnight batsman Arpit Vasavada (29) and Vishal Joshi (0) in quick succession, while Vahora clean bowled Makawana (30).

Dharmendra Jadeja (44) and Unadkat (15 not out) frustrated Baroda's bowlers by adding 53 runs for the last wicket and helped Saurashtra cross 300-run mark.

Utkarsh did the most of the damange as he claimed five for 70, while Vahora picked up three for 55.
     
Brief Scores:

Baroda: 400 and 207 for 6 (Saurabh Wakaskar 69; Jaydev Unadkat 4/30, Vishal Joshi 2/46).

Saurashtra: 311 (Sheldon Jackson 74, Bhushan Chauhan 49, Utkarsh Patel 5/70).

Shivkumar helps Andhra win with a bonus point

Duvvarapu Shivkumar's four-wicket haul helped Andhra bowl out Tripura for 86 in their second innings and set up a crushing 10-wicket win on the third day of their Ranji Trophy Group C match in Agartala.

This was Andhra's first victory of the season which also saw them earn a bonus point for their efforts.

Medium pacer Shivkumar took four wickets to run through Tripura, who had a 16-run first-innings lead.

Resuming on 20 for three, Tripura could add just 66 runs to their second innings total, leaving Andhra a fourth-innings chase of a mere 103 runs.

Andhra took 21.2 overs to achieve the target with the openers remaining unbeaten.

Srikar Bharat hit eight fours and two sixes in an unbeaten 70-ball 64, while Prasanth Kumar provided him good support, staying not out on a 58-ball 39.

Brief scores:

Tripura: 179 and 86 (Duvvarapu Shivkumar 4/24)

Andhra: 163 and 104 for no loss (S Bharat not out 64, P Kumar not out 39).

Hyderabad in complete control against J&K

Hyderabad were sitting pretty against J&K after reducing the hosts to 198 for six in their first innings on the third and penultimate day of the Ranji Trophy Group C match.

J&K face a tough task overhauling Hyderabad's mammoth first innings total of 514 for eight declared.

Bandeep Singh scored a strokeful 58 for J&K which came off 82 deliveries and was laced with 10 hits to the fence.

Skipper Parvez Rasool made a breezy 24 off 17 balls with the help of three fours and one six before he was cleaned up by left-arm spinner Mehdi Hasan (3/55), who was the pick of
Hyderabad bowlers.

Hardeep Singh (32 not out) and Samiullah Beigh (30 not out) were at the crease at stumps on Day 3. The duo so far stitched an unbeaten 57-run stand for the seventh wicket after J&K were tottering at 141 for six at one stage.

A improbable task awaits J&K on the final day in their bid to avoid conceding the vital first innings lead to Hyderabad. The hosts still need to score 316 runs with just four wickets in hand.

Apart from Hasan, medium pacer M Ravi Kiran picked up two wickets giving away 32 runs.

Earlier resuming their first innings at 341 for four, D B Ravi Teja (179) added 26 runs to his overnight score before his marathon knock was cut short by Rasool, stumped by Obaid Haroon.

But Amol Shinde smashed an attacking 97 off 104 balls to take Hyderabad forward.

Shinde struck as many as 13 boundaries during his knock before he was dismissed by Rasool, who claimed four wickets for 99 runs.

Brief Scores:

Hyderabad 1st innings: 514 for eight decl in 118 overs (DB Ravi Teja 179, Hanuma Vihari 109, Amol Shinde 97; Parvez Rasool 4/99).

Jammu and Kashmir 1st innings: 198 for six in 55 overs (Bandeep Singh 58, Mehdi Hasan 3/55, M Ravi Kiran 2/32).

Behera hits fourth successive ton but Gujarat on top

Natraj Behera scored his fourth successive century but Odisha could reach just 345 for eight at the end of the third day's play, even as Gujarat remained favourites to take the first innings lead in their Ranji Trophy Group A match in Motera, Ahmedabad.

Odisha are trailing Gujarat by 134 runs with only two wickets remaining.

Resuming on 111 for one in pursuit of Gujarat's first innings total of 479, Natraj Behera moved from his overnight unbeaten 64 to complete his century.

He had scored 158 against Delhi and a century in each innings against Mumbai.

Behera along with Govind Podder (43) added 66 runs to the overnight score before he got out for a 224-ball 106, studded with 19 fours.

Podder then continued in the able company of skipper Biplab Samantray (46) and the duo shared a 69-run stand for the third wicket.

After Samantray's departure, Odisha kept on losing a couple of wickets in quick successions every time.

For Gujarat, Rakesh Dhurv was the pick of the bowlers with figures of four for 78, while Jasprit Bumrah chipped in with three for 76.

Brief scores:

Gujarat 1st innings: 479 for eight declared in 136.3 overs (Y Venugopal Rao 177, Parthiv Patel 109).

Odisha 1st innings: 345 for eight in 138 overs (Natraj Behera 106, Biplab Samantray 46; Rakesh Dhurv 4/78, Jasprit Bumrah 3/76).

Bawane's century puts Maharashtra in control

Middle-order batsman Ankit Bawane struck an unbeaten 138 as hosts Maharashtra dished out a commanding batting display to declare their first innings at 488 for six in reply to Himachal Pradesh's 228 on the third day of the Ranji Trophy Group C match, in Pune

At stumps, HP were 98 for one in their second essay with Varun Sharma unbeaten on 35 and Paras Dogra on 41.

HP still trail Maharashtra by 162 runs with nine wickets in hand and a full day's play remaining.

Earlier in the day, Bawne completed a fine century after resuming at his overnight score of 76. His 304-ball patient knock was laced with 12 hits to the fence.

Apart from Bawne, Shrikant Mundhe (58) scored a half-century off 96 balls which was studded with nine boundaries and one six.
 
Akshay Darekar remained unbeaten on 34 off 46 balls along with Bawane, but Chirag Khurana (43) departed after just adding six runs to his overnight score.

For HP, Vikramjeet Malik (2/71) and Rishi Dhawan (2/131) shared four wickets between them.

Brief Scores:
    
Himachal Pradesh: 228 & 98 for one in 40 overs.

Maharashtra: 488 for six decl in 145 overs (Ankit Bawane 138 not out, Harshad Khadiwale 92, Shrikant Mundhe 58; Vikramjeet Malik 2/71).

Rajasthan set to take lead against TN

Rajasthan's batsmen put them on the verge of taking the vital first innings lead against Tamil Nadu in their Ranji Trophy Group B match, in Chennai.
     
Openers Siddarth Saraf (63) and Vineet Saxena (83) provided the base and then Ashok Menaria (62) and Hrishikesh Kanitkar (38 not out) capitalised to bring the visitors to 307 for four wickets at draw of stumps.

Rajasthan need just 11 runs to surpass Tamil Nadu first innings total of 318.

Saraf and Saxena added 163 runs before the former made exit. Eight overs later, Saxena also walked back and Rajasthan also suffered another blow when a dependable Robin Bist was
clean bowled by Rahil Shah for 3.

However, Kanitkar, and Menaria made sure that the good work done by the top order batsmen did not go waste.  But minutes before the close of play, Menaria was adjudged leg before wicket to Vijay Shankar.

Menaria made a superb 62 off 69 balls with 11 fours and two sixes.

At close, Rajesh Bishnoi (20) was giving company to Kanitkar.

Kerala in sight of victory over Goa

Kerala looked set for victory against Goa in their Ranji Trophy Group C match as 15 wickets fell on the third day with bowlers dominating the show at Academy ground in Porvorim, on Tuesday.

Kerala, who took 31 runs first innings lead, failed to dominate in the second innings as they fell to the guile of the Goan spinners and were all out for 147 in 62.5 overs. They set Goa a target of 179 to win.

However, Goa's batsmen fumbled again in the second innings against a disciplined bowling from the visitors and were tottering at 82 for 5 when play ended, still needing 97 to win with five
wickets in hand on the fourth and final day.

Keenan Vaz, who made 33 not out, put a lone battle with Ravikant Shukla unbeaten on four at stumps

Medium pacer Buddhadev Magaldas sent back overnight batsman Nikhilesh Surendran (0) and V A Jagdeesh (11) cheaply to have Kerala under pressure on 12 for two.

Shadab Jakati, who took advantage of the turning wicket along with Amit Yadav, then dismissed Robert Fernandez leg before wicket as the visitors stumbled to 36 for five.

Vinoop Manoharan (40) and Padmanabhan Prasant (46) put on useful 83 runs for the seventh wicket to take the score past 100 before they fell in quick succession.

Prasanth Parameswaran struck early as he claimed the wickets of Amogh Desai (10) and Sagun Kamat (1). Jagdeesh than dismissed Swapnil Asnodkar (21) and Darshan Misal (0) as Goa finished the day on 82 for five.

Image: Manish Pandey

Photograph: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images