Puneet Yadav smashed an unbeaten 107 to fire Rajasthan to a resounding nine wicket win over Haryana on day four of the Ranji Trophy Group A game on Thursday.
The visitors chased down the 158-run target in 38.5 overs after dismissing Haryana for 324 in their second innings. The hosts began the day at 287/6 and 120 runs ahead of the opposition.
Rajasthan pacer Pankaj Singh picked up a five-wicket haul to do with his four in the first innings.
It was Rajasthan’s first win of the season in seven matches, leaving them with little hope of progressing to the quarterfinals.
Brief scores:
Haryana: 112 and 324 (Nitin Saini 146, Mohit Hooda 56; Pankaj Singh 5/85) lose to Rajasthan: 279 and 161/1 (Puneet Yadav 107*, Manender 41*) by 9 wickets.
Delhi eek out draw
Hubballi: Delhi’s finds of season Nitish Rana and Dhruv Shorey hit patient centuries as the visitors managed a point against defending champions Karnataka thereby having a slender outside chance of qualifying for the knock-out rounds.
Delhi thus ended their group league engagements with 25 points from eight games. While after this round, the league table will show them at the top of group A points table but Bengal, Assam both on 25 points will be pitted against each other in the final round while Karnataka with 24 points also have a match to go against Maharashtra.
Not far away is Vidarbha on 22 points and they will be playing bottom-placed Haryana.
Even if Bengal versus Assam match does not yield an outright result, both teams will surpass Delhi on points. Delhi will have to pray that atleast one team wins outright.
If Karnataka manage atleast a point and keep their NRR (Net Run Rate) above Delhi, they will also be through. So Delhi will need Maharashtra to beat Karnataka.
Not to forget Vidarbha, if they can post an outright win against Haryana. Delhi will be praying that Haryana atleast get a first innings lead and if not atleast get a point and keep Vidarbha’s NRR under check.
Therefore Delhi for all practical purposes is out of the race for the knock-out rounds.
Asked to follow-on after being bowled out for 301 in their first innings in reply to Karnataka’s 542, Delhi scored 290 for two in their second innings. The talented Shorey scored 107 while left-hander Rana hit 132.
Brief Scores:
Karnataka: 542 draw Delhi: 301 & 290/2 (Shorey 107*, Nitish 132*).
ElSEWHERE:
Hyd’bad: 548/5d draw Tripura: 237 & (f/o) 294/5 (Parvinder 104*); Goa: 552/5d & 82/1 draw J&K: 501 (Manhas 135, Ian 115; Rituraj 4/118, Jakati 4/103); Assam: 298 & 135 (Muthuswami 4/21) draw Maharashtra: 196 (Krishna 6/73) & 82/3; Gujarat: 195/2 (Panchal 90) draw Tamil Nadu; Punjab: 272 & 295/7d (Kaul 109; Rajpoot 3/67) draw UP: 226 & 204/6 (Nath 76*).