Nagarkoti's hat-trick fires Rajasthan to narrow win
A round-up of Group C matches in the 2016-17 Vijay Hazare on February 28, 2017
ESPNcricinfo staff
28-Feb-2017
File photo - Manoj Tiwary's fourth List A century powered Bengal's successful chase of 214 • BCCI
At Chepauk, 17-year old medium pacer Kamlesh Nagarkoti took the first-ever List A hat-trick for Rajasthan that helped them defend 183 for a 14-run win against Gujarat. Gujarat were 152 for 5 - just 32 short of the target - when Nagarkoti made his first strike. They were eventually bowled out for 169, with Nagarkoti having taken 3 for 30 in seven overs. Bhargav Merai (51) and Rujul Bhatt (49) made contributions for Gujarat and shared a fourth-wicket partnership on 90. Apart from Nagarkoti, captain Pankaj Singh took three wickets, while Nathu Singh finished with two scalps.
Nagarkoti also came good with the bat as his unbeaten half-century lifted Rajasthan from 54 for 6. Along with Arijit Gupta (69), he helped add 86 for the seventh wicket and finished not out on 56.
Manoj Tiwary's unbeaten century steered Bengal to an eight-wicket win in a chase of 214 against Goa. Tiwary slammed 116 off 94 balls with 13 fours and three sixes as Bengal win with 85 balls to spare. Tiwary's knock rescued Bengal from early losses, after they were reduced to 45 for 2. Tiwary dominated an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 169 with opening batsman Abhimanyu Easwaran to see his team through. Abhimanyu finished not out on 68.
Bengal could have been chasing more had Goa's batsmen converted their starts. Amogh Desai top-scored with 49, but his dismissal triggered a slide as Goa went from 150 for 2 to finish on 213 for 9. Kanshik Seth, the debutant medium pacer, took 3 for 50 in 10 overs.
Seamer Chandrakant Sakure's maiden List A five-for helped Madhya Pradesh dismiss Mumbai for 134 and canter to an 80-run win. Sakure took 5 for 25 in eight overs and was supported by Saransh Jain, who took 3 for 30 in nine overs. Ishwar Pandey and Ankit Sharma took one wicket each.
MP's innings was driven by Ankit Dane in the first half. Dane struck 46 off 76 balls and held up his end even as wickets fell around him. He was dismissed in the 28th over, after which Sohraab Dhaliwal propelled the score past 200 with his 41-ball 51. Dhaliwal was the last man dismissed as MP were bowled out for 214 in 45.1 overs. Mumbai's bowlers shared the wickets around, with Shardul Thakur's 3 for 27 the best figures.
