Mumbai: Mumbai needed just over half an hour to complete the formalities as they beat minnows Puducherry by an innings and 222 runs on the final day to top Group D in Ranji Trophy here on Wednesday.
Following on after conceding a mammoth 498-run first innings lead to their formidable opponents, Puducherry added just 45 runs in 8.3 overs for the loss of four wickets on the fourth morning to be all out for 276.
Puducherry were staring at a defeat after beginning the day on 231 for 6. Tushar Deshpande scalped two wickets while captain Shardul Thakur and Ayush Mhatre got one each as Mumbai got the job done in quick time.
Both Deshpande and Thakur ended the match with five wickets apiece while Siddhesh Lad and Akash Anand scored centuries in Mumbai’s huge first innings total of 630 for 5 declared.
Mumbai collected seven points from their third win while Puducherry got none.
Mumbai topped Group D with 24 points ahead of Jammu and Kashmir (20 points) after playing five matches each.
J&K hammer Hyderabad
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In Jammu, Abid Mushtaq spun J&K to an incredible win as Hyderabad were bowled out for 190 while chasing 472. It was Jammu & Kashmir’s third win.
The wrecker-in-chief was the left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq, who finished with figures of 7 for 68. It was his ninth five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.
This match also ended in quick time on the fourth morning with Hyderabad losing their remaining three second innings wickets in 5.2 overs while adding just 21 runs. They had resumed the day at 169 for 7.
Mushtaq picked all the three wickets to add to his earlier four in the Hyderabad second innings.
Jammu & Kashmir collected six points from the win while Hyderabad got none.
Rajasthan take points for first-innings lead
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At Rajsamand, hosts Rajasthan tried their best to eke out a result on the final day but a determined batting effort from Delhi forced their Group D clash into a draw.
Delhi reached 316 for seven in their second innings following on, having extended their lead to 42 runs overall after making 296 in the first innings.
Rajasthan had piled up a massive 570 for seven declared and with Delhi falling well short of the follow-on mark, the hosts also took away three points for taking a lead of 274 runs in the first innings.
For Delhi, skipper Yash Dhull waged a strong fight as he made a strokeful 189 from 242 balls with 27 fours and two sixes, aided well by Ayush Doseja (64 from 108 balls, 7x4s, 1x6s).
Chhattisgarh play out a draw against Himachal
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Chhattisgarh were 15 for no loss in their second innings against Himachal Pradesh when the two teams decided to call off their contest at the Amtar Cricket Ground in Nadaun.
With a total of 16 wickets falling across four days, Chattisgarh, who made 585/6 declared in reply to HP’s 425, walked away with three points for taking a lead of 160 runs in the first innings.
Brief Scores:
In Mumbai: 630/5 decl in 147 overs beat Puducherry 132 and 276 all out in 53.3 overs (Aman Khan 86; Shardul Thakur 2/24, Tushar Deshpande 3/32).
In Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir 170 & 422 all out in 100.5 overs beat Hyderabad 121 and 190 all out in 57.5 overs (Tanmay Agarwal 47; Abid Mushtaq 7/68).
In Rajsamand: Rajasthan 570/7d drew with Delhi 296 and 316/7 in87 overs (Yash Dhull 189, Ayush Doseja 64; Ajay Kukna 3/92).
In Nadaun: Chhattisgarh 585/6d and 15/0 drew with Himachal Pradesh 425.
