Bengal take massive lead against Odisha
Bengal put up a strong batting display in their second essay to virtually seal a Ranji Trophy semifinal berth with a massive 443-run lead over Odisha in their last-eight clash in Tangi, Odisha, on Sunday.
At close on the penultimate day, Bengal were 361 for seven following half centuries from Shreevats Goswami (78), Abhishek Raman (67) and Shahbaz Ahmed's unbeaten 52.
It was almost all over for Odisha as there was no sign of a declaration from Bengal, who already had secured three points by virtue of a first-innings lead to put one step into the semifinals.
Bengal batsmen showed patience and discipline to bat through the day and almost guaranteed their first last-four berth since 2017-18 when they lost to Delhi.
Overnight batsman Abhishek Raman played a patient knock to see through the early morning moisture after the departure of senior batsman Manoj Tiwary.
The in-form Tiwary, who slammed his maiden triple century this season, was dismissed for the second time in the match by Odisha pacer Debabarata Pradhan inside the first-hour's play.
Tiwary was trapped in front with a sharp incoming delivery but that was the only bright spot for Odisha on the fourth day.
On a slow pitch with variable bounce, Raman showed amazing patience in the company of diminutive Bengal wicketkeeper-batsman Goswami, the duo adding 102 runs from 207 balls as Bengal's lead inched towards 300.
Rookie all-rounder Ahmed, who has been the find for Bengal with a hat-trick and four half centuries this season, smashed Poddar for the first six of their innings.
Goswami then joined in the party, hitting Poddar for four boundaries in his next over, as Bengal made rapid progress in the final session.
Spinner Arnab Nandi also made it tough for the struggling Odisha bowlers with a quick 45 off 75 balls.
Brief scores: Bengal 332 and 361/7; 132 overs (Shreevats Goswami 78, Abhishek Raman 67, Arnab Nandi 45, Koushik Ghohsh 41, Shahbaz Ahmed 52 batting ). Odisha 250.
Karnataka bowl out J&K for 192, take first-inning lead
Karnataka took the crucial first-innings lead after bowling out Jammu and Kashmir for 192 on the fourth day of their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal in Jammu.
Resuming the day on 88 for two in reply to Karnataka's 206, Jammu and Kashmir let the advantage slip by losing wickets at regular intervals to be bundled out in 62.4 overs.
Pacer M Prasidh Krishna (4/42) impressed once again as he returned with a four-wicket haul, while Jagadeesha Suchith (2/46) and Ronit More (2/40) grabbed two wickets each and Krishnappa Gowtham (1/30) claimed one.
For the hosts, Abdul Samad scored a 50-ball 43. He hit six fours and a maximum to anchor the innings but he didn't get support from the other end.
In their second essay, Karnataka reached 245 for four in 67 overs with opener Ravikumar Samarth (74) and Krishnamurthy Siddharth (75 not out) doing the bulk of the scoring.
J&K skipper and off-spinner Parvez Rasool, who had taken three wickets in the first innings, added another two, while Mujtaba Yousuf (1/42) and Abid Mushtaq (1/59) accounted for one each.
Brief scores: Karnataka 1st innings: 206 all out in 69.1 overs J&K 1st innings: 192 all out in 62.4 overs (SP Khajuria 62, Abdul Samad 43; M Prasidh Krishna 4/42) Karnataka 1st innings: 254 for 4 in 67 overs (R Samarth 74, KV Siddharth 75 not out; Parvez Rasool 2/53).
Saurashtra pile on Andhra's agony, extend lead to 658
Saurashtra batted Andhra out of their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal by extending their overall lead to a mammoth 658 runs in Ongole, AP.
By stumps on the fourth day, Saurashtra had made 375 for nine in their second innings.
Resuming on overnight 93 for 2, the visiting team piled on the runs on a rather dull day with three batsmen making half-centuries, to ensure they are almost through to the semifinals.
Last year's runner-up Saurashtra had made 419 in the first innings before bundling out Andhra for 136 and chose not to enforce follow-on.
With the track not offering much assistance it was a toil for the Andhra attack which missed the services of injured pacer Y Prithvi Raj.
Perak Mankad, who made 85 in the first innings, hit 80 in their second innings and in the company of left-arm spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja (60), frustrated the Andhra bowlers.
After Barot and Vishvarajsinh Jadeja (35 batting) resumed in the morning, Andhra had some early success when the latter fell leg-before to Smd Rafi after adding 11 runs to his score.
Barot looked good for more before being bowled by Rafi for 54.
It was then the turn of Mankad and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja to trouble the Andhra bowlers and put the game beyond their reach.
Part-time bowler Jyothi Sai Krishna (4/47) and Rafi (3/92) were rewarded for their hard work.
Brief scores: Saurashtra 419 all out in 146.5 overs (Chirag Jani 121, Perak Mankad 80, Vishvarajsingh Jadeja 73, Sheldon Jackson 50; Prithvi Raj Yarra 3/51, K V Sasikanth 3/149) and 375 for 9 in 123 overs (Perak Mankad 85, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja 60, Avi Barot 54, Vishvarajsinh Jadeja 46; Jyothi Sai Krishna 4/47, Smd Rafi 3/92) vs Andhra 136 all out in 78.2 overs (C R Gnaneshwar 43, Ricky Bhui 28, K S Bharat 26; Jaydev Unadkat 4/42, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja 3/27).
Gujarat thrash Goa by 464 runs to storm into Ranji semis
Left-arm spinner Siddharth Desai grabbed a fifer as Gujarat thrashed minnows Goa by a whopping 464 runs to storm into the Ranji Trophy semifinals, in Valsad.
Set a daunting target of 629 for an improbable win, Goa were bundled out for 164 in their second essay on day 4 of the Ranji quarterfinals at the Sardar Patel Stadium.
Desai (5-81) ran through the Goa batsmen and got able support from pacer Arzan Nagwaswalla (4-18).
Barring Suyash Prabhudessai (66), no other Goa batsman could even put up a fight.
Goa lost opener Vaibhav Govekar (4) early when he chased a Roosh Kalaria (1-21) delivery which was pitched wide of off stump and was caught by a diving Chirag Gandhi as the visitors slipped to 5 for one.
Soon it became 10 for 2 when Sumiran Amonkar (5) poked at a full toss outside off by Desai and edged it to the slip cordon where Samit Gohel fetched it inches above the turf.
Post lunch, Goa's batting mainstay Amit Verma fell for one as the visitors were in deep trouble at 13/3. Verma was cleaned up by Nagwaswalla.
Suyash Prabhudessai (66) and Snehal Kauthankar (17) tried to rebuild the innings. But Kauthankar, after playing 77 balls, edged to Parthiv Patel off Desai.
Desai then removed a well-settled Prabhudessai, who was caught by Gohel as Goa lost half their side for 103.
Once Smit Patel became Desai's fourth victim, it was clear Goa was staring at a massive defeat.
Nagwaswalla then wrecked havoc as he ran through the lower order, picking up three quick wickets.
Fittingly, it was Desai, who trapped Vijesh Prabhudessai (0) to seal the win for the hosts.
Earlier, Goa's medium-pacer Lakshay Garg (4/30) grabbed four quick wickets.
First, he castled Bhargav Merai (50) and then dismissed new man Manpreet Juneja (4). He also cleaned up Samit Gohel (72).
Despite the fall of these wickets, Gujarat were in the driver's seat as their overall lead had crossed the 600-run mark.
Garg removed rival skipper Parthiv (8). After Axar Patel fell, Gujarat declared their second innings for 199/6, with an overall lead of 628 runs.
Brief Scores: Gujarat 602/8 D and 199/6 D (Samit Gohel 72; Lakshay Garg 4/30) won against Goa 173 and 164 (Suyash Prabhudessai 66; Siddharth Desai 5-81) by 464 runs.
