Seamers Shivam Dube (4/10) and Royston Dias (3/35) powered Mumbai’s outright win over Bihar by an innings and 51 runs in their Ranji Trophy 2023-24 season opener here on Monday. Bihar’s fate was decided on the third day evening itself when they were reduced to 91/6 following-on, having made 100 in their first innings in reply to Mumbai’s 251, with Mohit Avasthi returning 6/27.
Bihar could not manage a run more than that in their second attempt and lost heavily as Mumbai walked away with seven points.
Dube, who was named in India’s squad for three T20Is against Afghanistan, celebrated his call-up with a superb 11-4-10-7 after 6-3-13-2 in the first innings.
In another game, Chhattisgarh also clinched an outright win and seven points following a 10-wicket hammering of Assam, for whom Riyan Parag produced a record century. Parag cracked 12 sixes and 11 fours to make 155 from 87 balls for the second fastest century in the Ranji Trophy history, but his outstanding effort had no say in the outcome. Chhattisgarh, who made 327 in the first innings, bowled out Assam for 159 in reply and Parag’s ton could only take his side to 254 in the second essay.
Chhattisgarh remained unscathed in their 87-run chase.
However, at Visakhapatnam, Ricky Bhui’s marathon 347-ball 175 (23x4s, 1x6s) helped Andhra force a draw against Bengal who made 409 batting first.
Bhui’s ton, combined with fifties from Hanuma Vihari (51) and Shoaib Khan (56) took Andhra to 445 in reply with a slender 36-run first-innings lead, thus giving them three points from the tame draw in which Bengal reached 87/1 in their second essay. At Alapuzzha, the visitors Uttar Pradesh team walked off with a draw and three points against hosts Kerala in a hard-fought contest. UP took a 59-run lead in the first innings, for they dismissed Kerala at 243.
In the second innings, Priyam Garg (106) followed Aryan Juyal (115) in completing a three-figure mark as UP declared at 323/3, taking an overall lead of 382 runs.
In reply, Kerala were 72/2.
Brief scores:
At Patna: Mumbai 251 beat Bihar 100 & 100 (Sharman Nigrodh 40; Shivam Dube 4/10, Royston Dias 3/35) by an innings and 51 runs. At Raipur: Chhattisgarh 327 & 87/0 (Eknath Kerkar 31*, Rishabh 48*) beat Assam 159 & 254 (Riyan Parag 155; Vashudev Bareth 3/59, Jivesh Butte 3/37) by 10 wickets. At Visakhapatnam: Bengal 409 & 82/1 (Sourav Paul 30*; Shoaib Md Khan 1/16) drew with Andhra 445 (Hanuma Vihari 51, Ricky Bhui 175, Shoaib Khan 56; Mohammed Kaif 3/62). At Alappuzha: Uttar Pradesh 302 & 323/3d (Aryan Juyal 115, Priyam Garg 106; Basil Thampi 1/30) drew with Kerala 243 & 72/2 (Rohan 42; Kuldeep Yadav 1/19).
