Rest of India trounce Rajasthan to win Irani Cup

Rest of India scored a comprehensive innings and 75 runs victory over Ranji Trophy champions Rajasthan to win the Irani Cup on the fourth day, at the Chinnaswamy stadium, in Bangalore, on Monday.

Facing a deficit of 311 runs, after Rest of India declared their first innings at 607 for 7, Rajasthan resumed on 43 for 1.

Vinnet Saxena was unfortunately run out for 18, but Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Robin Bist batted out of their skins and put up some resistance in the first session on Day 4.

Kanitkar starred in a 66-run second-wicket partnership with Saxena and then added another 95 runs for the third wicket with Bist.

Three run-outs -- of Saxena, Kanitkar and Dishant Yagnik -- in the second innings hurt Rajasthan badly, even as the Rest bowlers struggled to get wickets early in the morning.

Interestingly, Rest if India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik was involved in six dismissals -- three runs-outs, two catches and a stumping.

Barring Kanitkar's 73 off 151 balls knock, that was laced with ten hits to the fence, none of the batsmen could capitalise on the starts and make substantial scores.

Both Saxena (18 off 17) and Yagnik (11 off 16) started well, but failed to carry on.

The three run-outs meant Rajasthan had lost the plot. It would have been asking for too much for the later batsmen to resurrect the innings.

Deepak Chahar was stumped by 'keeper Karthik off Pragyan Ojha for nine. Soon Rashmi Ranjan Parida left the scene, after being caught by Karthik off Harmeet Singh for 31 off 64 deliveries.

Gajendra Singh and Aniket Choudhary were quickly packed off by Singh for naught and 17 respectively.

Madhur Khatri was the last man out, for 12, which came off 66 balls.

The bowling honours for the day were shared by Harmeet and Ojha, who had figures of four for 45 and two for 33 respectively.

Pacer Ishant Sharma claimed one wicket for 38 runs.

Earlier, opener Murali Vijay struck a magnificent double century as Rest of India stretched their lead to a mammoth 354 runs on the third day.

Scorecard

Rajasthan (1st innings): 253

Rest of India (1st innings): 607-7 decl.

Rajasthan (2nd innings): (overnight 43-1)
Ankit Lamba c Karthik b Sharma 4
Vineet Saxena run out 18
Hrishikesh Kanitkar run out 73
Robin Bist b Ojha 67
Rashmi Parida c Karthik b Harmeet Singh 31
Dishant Yagnik run out 11
Deepak Chahar st Karthik b Ojha 9
Madhur Khatri c Yadav b Harmeet Singh 12
Gajendra Singh c Rahane b Harmeet Singh 0
Aniket Choudhary c Yadav b Harmeet Singh 17
Sumit Mathur not out 19
Extras: (B-4, LB-7, NB-2) 14
Total: (in 90.2 overs) 275

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-70, 3-165, 4-180, 5-206, 6-215, 7-226, 8-226, 9-253.

Bowling: Ishant Sharma 13-3-38-1, Umesh Yadav 16-4-61-0, Stuart Binny 13-5-33-0, Pragyan Ojha 32-7-83-2, Harmeet Singh 14.2-1-45-4, Subramaniam Badrinath 2-0-3-0.