Ranji Trophy 2012-13, Quarter-finals, Day 2

Karnataka 45 for 0 trail Saurashtra (toss) 469 (Vasavada 152*, Jackson 83) by 424 in Rajkot

25-Feb-2013

Karnataka 45 for 0 trail Saurashtra (toss) 469 (Vasavada 152*, Jackson 83) by 424 in Rajkot

UP 134 (Imtiaz 53*, Nazar 5-51, Nishan 3-44) and 138 for 4 (Srivastava 54, Yadav 4-33) lead Services (toss) 263 (Paliwal 112, Rajpoot 5-61) by 9 in Indore

Mumbai (toss) 524 for 6 (Nayar 122*, Jaffer 150, Tendulkar 108, Tare 64) v Baroda in Mumbai

Jharkhand (toss) 310 for 6 (Jaggi 126*, Nemat 100) v Punjab in Jamshedpur

5pm - Stumps in Indore UP end the day nine runs ahead but with four wickets down. An intriguing contest set up there. Do join us tomorrow. Cheers

4.47pm - UP into the lead Says Abhishek Purohit: "UP go into the lead now as Dwivedi eases Yadav to the deep cover rope, effectively 2 for 4"

4.43pm - Stumps in Mumbai Just one wicket in the last session. Mumbai 524 for 6. Nayar is unbeaten on 122 off 217. Mumbai are pleased with the day, and I think Baroda will take the new ball tomorrow morning

In Rajkot, Karnataka have made it to stumps without any loss. Saurashtra will rue missing Rahul with no runs on the board. Karnataka 45 for 0

4.40pm - Late strike for Services Says Abhishek Purohit from Indore: "Suraj Yadav again, and he gets Srivastava the same way he had dismissed him on 32. But that was a no-ball, this isn't and Srivastava is caught behind on 54. UP are still two runs behind Services. Have to give it to Services, their fast bowlers have visibly flagged as the day wore on but have continued to try and try. Now they have found some additional zip with the late wicket"

4.30pm - Play called off in Jamshedpur Only 114 overs bowled over two days. Jharkhand have scored 310 for 6

4.25pm

@siddarth: I dont blame Mumbai for their tactics if the rules are what you have mentioned. The onus is on the pitch curators. Prepare result oriented pitches and you dont need to bother about the 6th days unless of course the weather intervenes

Nithin, I agree with you. Mumbai's job is to win the Ranji Trophy, and do it within the rules and playing conditions, and I predict they will do it, especially if Zaheer Khan comes back for the semi-final. That said, they can lose in this match too, but I doubt it. Mumbai 514 for 6 after 174 overs. New ball not taken yet. Nayar 114 off 202

4.10pm

@Sidharth Mongia I have 2 scenarios here. Which team will go through the next round? 1) What if we have a delay due bad weather and the 2nd innings is not completed and the team batting second has not taken the lead. Will the continue the match on the 6th day to see if there is a result. 2) What if both the teams score the same number of runs in the first innings. Will they play till they get a result on the 6th day? Again what if they do not get the result on the 6th day? Will they continue on the 7th day or till they get a result?

Oswald, in the first scenarios, yes we will go into a sixth day even if weather has been good. In the second scenario, we will go back to how it all started: a toss of the coin. I remember a time when such draws used to be resolved by run-rate, but not any longer

And I suspect it is the presence of the sixth day that is keeping Mumbai from declaring here. Mumbai don't want to make a sporting declaration, and then end up conceding a lead on the fifth day. Consequently there is no intent from any side. Baroda are not taking the third new ball, and Mumbai are happy to defend and come tomorrow and score more. Nayar has slowed down considerably, and is not out on 110 off 189

4.05pm - UP fight it out Says Abhishek Purohit from Rajkot: "UP go past 100 as Alam calmly steers Nishan to the third man rope. UP fighting back but they still have a long way to go"

4pm - From matchwinner to potential culprit Says Siddarth Ravindran from Rajkot: "Not the best of starts for Saurashtra. The very first ball of the innings, KL Rahul, flicked to square leg where he was put down by newcomer Dharmendrasingh Jadeja". Jadeja had won them the match against MP

3.50pm - First five hundred of the knockouts Not surprisingly it is Mumbai who have reached it: 501 for 6 after 164.5 overs. Nayar is 104 off 173. Don't see a declaration coming tonight

3.43pm - Amol Karhadkar in Jamshedpur

As the light meter is out again, a spectator has an advice for Harbhajan: "Balling (not bowling) change kar!". But it seems they have to stop bowling. They're going off. Jharkhand 310 for 6

That could well be stumps although it is not official. Only 114 overs bowled so far

3.33pm - Siddarth Ravindran in Rajkot

Saurashtra just got all out. Vasavada is still unbeaten, terrific effort from him. Saurashtra will be happy with the 469 they got, especially considering that their run-machine Cheteshwar Pujara was dismissed cheaply. The Karnataka batting has been inconsistent all season. Can they deliver this time? Or will it be a quarter-final exit for the second year in a row?

3.31pm - Hundred for Nayar With a flick off Patel, Nayar gets the single that takes him to his third hundred of the season. He most certainly is Mumbai's MVP. Reaches 100 off 158 balls. Eleventh hundred in all first-class cricket. Mumbai 486 for 6

3.30pm - Amol Karhadkar in Jamshedpur

Harbhajan Singh, who replaced Manpreet Gony after tea, has changed from over the wicket to round the wicket to Sunny Gupta. And the move works, almost. A huge appeal for a bat-pad catch at silly point is turned down by umpire CK Nandan. And Harbhajan makes his displeasure evident. He is so furious that Sanjay Hazare has to step in from square leg to calm him down. Gupta survives. Jharkhand 294 for 6

3.24pm - What drama in Indore They checked Yadav's delivery to Tanmay for a no-ball, and it indeed is a no-ball. Is that the luck UP need? They are now 82 for 3

3.22pm - Finally a wicket in Baroda Part-timer Abhimanyu Chauhan gets Aditya Tare for 64. Mumbai a formidable 479 for 6. Nayar not out on 94 off 155

3.20pm - Suraj Yadav running through UP Tanmay Srivastava is gone now, caught at the wicket off Suraj Yadav, whose figures now read 14.2-7-21-4. UP 81 for 4, still 48 short of making Services bat again

3.05pm - Karnataka strike early into the final session Gowtham has the No. 10 Dharmendrasinh Jadeja. Saurashtra 450 for 9, Vasavada 141 not out

3pm - Talking of tables Abhishek Nayar is now the fifth-highest run-getter this season with 815 and counting. And he has 16 timely wickets to go with that. CM Gautam is leading the runs tally with 938 runs

2.40pm - Tea updates Mumbai go into tea at the same score of 462 for 5, another wicketless middle session for Baroda

Jharkhand are 282 for 6 with Jaggi unbeaten on 106 at tea in Jamshedpur

Saurashtra are 449 for 8 in Rajkot. Vasavada unbeaten on 141

UP are fighting for their lives, and go into the break at 65 for 3, still trailing by 64 runs. Suraj Yadav: 13-6-19-3

2.38pm - Fifty for Tare Aditya Tare drives Bhargav Bhatt through extra cover for four to reach 52 off 132 balls. And then paddled the next ball for four. The partnership with Nayar is now worth 106. Mumbai bossing this. Nayar 85 off 140 at the other end. Mumbai 462 for 5

2.30pm - Amol Karhadkar in Jamshedpur

S Kaul strikes again! It's SP Gautam this time around. A full delivery outside off finds the edge of the bat and goes straight to Amitoze Singh at first slip, who didn't let it slip like he had done just after resumption: 282 for 6. Sunny Gupta walks out wearing a red helmet. Is it to let the crowd know that he was contracted with Delhi Daredevils?

Wicket in Rajkot too. Says Sid Ravindran: "Abhimanyu Mithun screams 'Come on,' after getting Karnataka's eighth wicket, to a sharp catch by Pandey. Vasavada is still there, though, still going strong"

2.25pm - Suraj Yadav doing it for Services AP again: "Suraj Yadav again! He has uprooted Parvinder Singh's off stump with one that straightened past the batsman's forward push, top bowling. UP 63 for 3. Trail by 66"

2.15pm - Huge wicket in Indore Says Abhishek Purohit: "Partnership broken. Kaif finally fails to survive a confident lbw appeal against him. Suraj Yadav trapping him in front as he pushed forward with one that seemed to move away. Kaif gone for 33, UP 61 for 2, still trailing by 68"

For more on the spirit of Services, over to Sharda Ugra

2.11pm - Siddarth Kaul strikes for Punjab It's a brotherly dismissal: c Uday Kaul b Siddarth Kaul. Kumar Deobrat gone for 20. Jharkhand 270 for 5

2.10pm - Some confusion in Mumbai It seems Murtuja Vahora didn't inform the umpires when he came back onto the field, and might have to wait for a little longer before he can bowl. Fair enough from the umpires. Mumbai 430 for 5. Tare 31 off 102, Nayar 78 off 122

2.05pm - Abhishek Purohit in Indore

Nakul Verma, who opened the innings, has been handled the ball now. Services using a fourth bowler for the first time in the match. He is bowling accurate medium-pace and has already rapped Srivastava on the pads, but the appeal was turned down. The partnership between Kaif and Srivastava is 51 now. They need 75 more to make Services bat again

Services manager Wing Commander Bhaskar's priceless response when asked about his captain Soumik Chatterjee limping out to bat with a badly hurt knee: "We are soldiers first, players later."

2pm - Hundred for Jaggi Jharkhand making it tough for favourites too. Ishank Jaggi brings up his seventh first-class century. Jharkhand a healthy 265 for 4 against Punjab

1.55pm - Back on in Jamshedpur The light seems to have improved, and Ishank Jaggi continues scoring. He is three short of a hundred, and Jharkhand are 261 for 4

1.50pm - Abhishek Purohit in Indore

Some calm appearing in this match for the first time. Kaif and Srivastava have survived the first hour after lunch. Kaif has got through three appeals in one Nishan Singh over alone. Srivastava has been more solid. The pair has put on 43 after lunch"

1.45pm - Drinks in dry Rajkot do the trick for Karnataka Says Siddarth Ravindran: "Wicket on the first ball after drinks. Kamlesh Makwana is lbw, to Amit Verma for 32"

1.35pm - Century for Vasavada Says Siddarth Ravindran: "Century for Aarpit Vasavada, not the most eye-catching of innings, but it is pushing Saurashtra towards a healthy first-innings score of 400. He celebrates with his arms aloft, acknowledges the cheers of his team-mates and the handful of spectators. 'Helmet nikal bhai,' shouts a photographer, but it stays firmly on much to his disappointment"

1.30pm - UP show some fight Tanmay Srivastava and Mohammad Kaif have added 39 for the second wicket, bringing the deficit down to 97, but there is a long long way to go for UP to reverse this result

1.15pm - Fifty for Nayar Yet another fifty for Mumbai's most valuable player: 50 off 85. Mumbai 395 for 5. And he celebrates by reverse-sweeping Patel for a four next ball. That is his 10th fifty-plus score this season, overtaking Parthiv Patel's nine

1.10pm - Siddarth Ravindran in Rajkot

Two loud caught-behind appeals turned down in successive overs. Vasavada continues the slow march to his second first-class century. Now he's beaten outside off by Sharath, prompting the now familiar refrain of 'Bowled Mandya' from the Karnataka dressing room. Saurashtra 366 for 6, Vasavada not out on 90

12.20pm - Bad light again In Jamshedpur, we are off the field two balls into the second session. Says Amol: "The umps have a discussion and decide they can't play any further with the light dipping. All the 13 players are still on the field, with Jaggi and Gony involved in an intriguing discussion. Finally, CK Nandan seems to have made all the Pujab players understand that they CANNOT play any further till the light improves. And as the players start returning to the dressing room, I hope for a better 'packet lunch' that what was served on Day One. Jharkhand 255 for 4. No play means even more good news for the crowd. Harbhajan Singh, the most sought after cricketer, has walked across the dressing room and is obliging the fans with autographs. The crowd roars are increasing by the minute."

12.02pm - Lunch updates from elsewhere Mumbai end the first session at 380 for 5. Nayar is 42 off 62, Tare 17 off 47. Just one wicket in the session, and many drops

In Rajkot, Saurashtra go into the break at 339 for 6 - 39 overs, 67 runsm one wicket in this session

And Services have moved closer to the upset in Indore. Says AP: "Dagar caught behind off Suraj Yadav, pushing outside off stump to a length delivery and that will be lunch at 3 for 1. Services, Services, you beauty."

11.50am - Much more sedate in Rajkot Says Siddarth Ravindran: "'Robin bhai photo, robin bahi photo,' ask the fans as Uthappa comes towards them to field at fine leg. More patient scoring from Saurashtra as they reach 332 for 6. Karnataka have already bowled 37 overs this session, with 10 minutes to go"

11.45am - Abhishek Purohit continues from Indore

Note that Services manager Wing Commander Bhaskar was nowhere near Chatterjee during his battle to get onto and off the ground. Perhaps they don't ask for or give help in the Services. And amid all this, Rajpoot's five-for has gone unnoticed. 15-0-61-5

11.40am - Paliwal's assault ends, and what superb scenes in Indore Says Abhishek Purohit: "Paliwal is gone finally. He has hopped to play a short Rajpoot delivery, and unluckily for him it has rolled onto the stumps to remove a bail. And these are unbelievable scenes in Indore. You can say one has to be in the armed forces to even think about doing this. Services captain Soumik Chatterjee, with an injured knee, is hobbling out at No 11. He is not able to walk, he is dragging one foot along with the other. UP keeper Dwivedi pats him on the back. And he's lasted all of one ball. Ankit hits the pads with a full delivery from round the stumps, and Services have a lead of 129

"UP coach Venkatesh Prasad walks up to the hobbling Chatterjee, who is already being helped off by a team-mate. Prasad takes the captain's bat in his hands, and lends the other hand to Chatterjee. The armed forces never fail to surprise"

That's how much this means. Wonderful

11.35am - Lunch in Jamshedpur Says Amol: The fifth wicket partnership has crossed the 50-run mark as Jharkhand go in to lunch at 255 for 4. Jaggi batting on 91

11.25am - New ball in Jamshedpur Says Amol Karhadkar: "The crowd is swelling slowly but steadily. And they are enjoying Kumar Deobrat's onslaught. The youngster - with the reputation of being an aggressive batsman - started off cautiously but has started hitting now. A paddled sweep off Harbhajan races past the leg slip to fine-leg fence. And Harbhajan has finally taken the new ball. After 89 overs. Jharkhand 246 for 4."

11.23am - Hundred for Paliwal This is the innings of his life, surely? Rajat paliwal has given Services a crucial lead on a difficult pitch. Here's Abhishek Purohit: "Paliwal brings up his hundred with a hook through square leg for four and a lofted boundary down the ground off Rajpoot. Fantastic effort on a difficult pitch, the key has been his positive approach, hardly a spell where he's backed off, and hardly a spell where he's been reckless, hit the balance just fine.

"Chawla being taken apart by No 10 and effectively last man Shadab Nazar who has hammered him for successive straight fours."

Hopefully, MS Dhoni, Chawla's biggest backer for some inexplicable reason, reads a report of this match

11.22am - Baroda finally hold one Nightwatchman Kulkarni is gone, caught at the wicket. Vahora is relieved his fielders have finally held a catch. Mumbai 356 for 5, Nayar has already raced to 35

11.21am - A wicket for UP Says AP: "Ankit has flattened Nishan's off stump with a yorker, but Paliwal has already stretched this lead close to 100"

11.20am - Amol Karhadkar in Jamshedpur

Harbhajan Singh is bowling at his best - getting the nip and zip off the wicket. He is looking threatening. No wonder Punjab have avoided opting for the new ball and are operating with spinners at both ends. Ishank Jaggi and Kumar Deobrat have survived some anxious moments. And Deobrat breaks the shackles by hitting Ladda for a boundary through covers off the back foot. Jharkhand 239 for 4.

11.15am - Siddarth Ravindran in Rajkot

Jubilation in the Karnataka camp. One ball after Amit Verma put down Chiraj Jani at long-off, Jani pulled towards deep backward square leg where Manish Pandey took a sharp catch. Finally the breakthrough for Karnataka. Jani gone for 36 153m 116b 6/316 in 118.6 overs

11.10am - Abhishek Purohit in Indore

Paliwal has begun to farm strike. Refuses a single with four men in the deep to him: third man, deep point, deep square leg, fine leg. He drives Rajpoot to the sweeper and just takes a few steps out before retreating, and now he takes the single late in the over, to deep point. Services 220 for 7, effectively eight down with the injury to Chaterjee

A 100 minutes after play started this morning, Kaif turns to Piyush Chawla's leg spin. The first ball is a low full toss and Paliwal drills into the gap between sweeper cover and long off. Later in the same over, Chawla bowls a half-tracker and Paliwal pulls it hard over midwicket. Paliwal moves to 86, a couple of overs ago, he upper cut Tyagi for six over the third man rope. And another one, now Chawla has been driven for a flat six over extra cover, into the 90s now

11.05am - Sid Ravindran in Rajkot

300 has come up for Saurashtra. Karnataka have turned to part-timer Amit Verma as they look to break the partnership between Jani and Vasavada. Just a couple of dozen spectators have turned up, were making a bit of noise earlier on but now they have gone quiet as Saurashtra continue to make solid but unspectacular progress

10.55am - Nayar in his groove After surviving a few lbw shouts - where he had duly got himself outside the line to left-arm quick Gagan - Nayar has just swetp back-to-back boundaries off Aditya Waghmode and Mumbai are now 326 for 4. Nayar 20 off 29, and nightwatchman Kulkarni has 12 off 70

10.46am - Hat-trick avoided Says AP: "Nishan Singh somehow avoids edging the hat-trick ball from Rajpoot, which zips past his bat into the keeper's gloves. Next over, Paliwal spoons a drive off an Imtiaz delivery in the air, but there is no cover to catch it. Sweeper fields"

10.45am - Abhishek Purohit in Indore

UP are clearly overdoing the short stuff now, Imtiaz has switched to round the stumps with a short leg and a deep square leg in place, finally he's gone back to over the stumps, and short leg to cover-point. Tyagi 6-1-13-0 this morning, has now given way to Rajpoot, who strikes in his first over. Sarabjit's luck finally runs out. Kaif does not miss them low at first slip. A valuable partnership of 97, which doubled the score of 97 for 5. Sarabjit scored a crucial 40. A lead of 60 now

PS: Rajpoot is on a hat-trick now: "Two in two. Rajpoot digs the next one in and has the new batsman fending it through to the keeper. UP find some energy in their huddle now. Scorer trying to find out who got out. Suraj Yadav it was"

10.35am - Hundred and out Says Amol Karhadkar: "Nemat runs a single with a dab to the gully region off Harbhajan to take his helmet off and celebrate his maiden first-class century. Even the bowler congratulates him. And he perishes three balls later. Harbhajan Singh has indeed made his first impressions in the game. A straighter delivery finds Nemat clueless and all he can do is to edge it to the keeper."

10.30am - Vasavada keeps on going In Rajkot, Aarpit Vasavada has scored another fifty for Saurashtra. He is unbeaten on 60, and Surashtra have moved to 288 for 5 - that's 16 runs added in 14 overs this morning

Adds Sid Ravindran: "Just 17 runs in the first hour at Rajkot. It's been slow going but there haven't been too many questions asked of the batsmen so far. The pitch still looks greenish but the bowlers aren't getting much help from it"

10.25am - Abhishek Purohit in Indore

This could be Services' day again. Sarabjit has been beaten plenty of times outside off stump, including thrice in this over itself from Imtiaz, but no outside edge. There was one some time ago, but it didn't carry to the slips. The lead is 48 now

10.21am - Finally cricket in J'pur Says Amol Karhadkar: "Rameez Nemat takes a single with a nudge to on side off Harbhajan to move to 98. It was the first ball of the day"

10.20am - Services keep getting battered but keep moving on Reports Abhishek Purohit: "Rajat Paliwal gets to his fifty with a thumping pull in the air over square leg off the sharp Imtiaz. Next ball is shorter, and Paliwal ducks. The next is a brute, rearing at his throat, but Paliwal manages to fend it wide of the waiting short leg... The fourth successive short ball is tackled quite well, defended on the toes, while Paliwal misses the pull off the fifth down the leg side... And now it is Sarabjit's turn to take a blow on the glove, off Tyagi. Sarabjit asks for a change of bats, also gets a little drink of water and a breather."

10.15am - Yusuf keeps spilling at slip Yusuf Pathan, Baroda captain, has spilled his second dolly at slip. After Jaffer, it's nightwatchman Dhawal Kulkarni now. The new ball is going waste, and Vahora is not pleased. Yusuf keeps grabbing and going hard at slip catches. Mumbai 292 for 4

10.10am - Services beating the ball out of shape? Says Abhishek Purohit: "After complaining about the ball for a few overs, UP have finally convinced the umpires to change it. The boundary is surrounded by a tall metal fence, and the ball takes quite a beating when it clangs into the fence after a four. Could be one of the reasons. Lead 42 now. The partnership in now 97

Meanwhile play is scheduled to start at 10.20am in Jamshedpur

10am - Abhishek Purohit in Indore

Soumik Chaterjee, the Services captain who hurt his knee while fielding on day one, is still in a lot of pain. Can hardly move around, and is to visit a doctor again later in the morning, while results of his MRI scan are awaited. It has been an interesting half hour of play. UP have had Paliwal and Sarabjit hopping around with short deliveries, have beaten the outside edge a few times, but the batsmen have also responded with aggression. Sarabjit flailed Sudeep Tyagi over the slips for four, Paliwal slashed Imtiaz past the cordon for four more. Services 173 for 5

There is a large patch on the pitch around the good length area at the Madhavrao Scindia End which has much greener grass than the rest of the wicket as its boundary, though inside the patch, the grass is of the same colour as the rest of the pitch. Imtiaz hit Paliwal on the gloves with a lifter from that patch, but Tyagi has done the same to Paliwal now at the other end as well. The batsman is getting some treatment now. Terrific surface this, a batsman is never in on it

9.57am - A life a minute And Jaffer is dropped again. Thick edge from him off Gagandeep Singh, but Pinal Shah, standing up to the stumps, can't hold on to the difficult chance. Don't know why he is standing up. Gagandeep should have had Jaffer three times, but Jaffer continues

Hang on, hang on. Jaffer is gone. He has played on. Finally they get Jaffer. For 150. And it's Gagandeep who gets the wicket

9.56am - Another life for Jaffer He was let off with an lbw appeal early in his innings, was dropped when on 96, and has now been missed by second slip when on 145. A boundary results, and then a single that takes him to 150

Murtuja Vahora is the unfortunate bowler

9.55am - Amol Karhadkar in Jamshedpur

At 9.55am here, it feels like 7.55am in the rest of India. Two inspections, and light doesn't seem good enough. The next inspection is at 10am

9.50am - Siddarth ravindran in Rajkot

No trouble so far for the batsmen in the first 20 minutes. It was another chilly morning in Rajkot, but the sun is out now. While his team bats, Cheteshwar Pujara is having a lengthy net session

9.45am - Services continue to build Services are taking their lead towards a significant number. Paliwal in his 40s, and Services 166 for 5, a lead of 32

9.35am Still no resumption in Jamshedpur where Rameez Nemat is stuck on 97 not out. I will get you a definite word on the expected start as soon as possible

9.30am - Abhishek Purohit in Indore

Last evening, UP coach Venkatesh Prasad giving a talk to his fast bowlers Imtiaz, Tyagi and Rajpoot, and captain Kaif. He even had a pen and paper and used them quite liberally

It indeed is a moment of truth for UP

MAaaaaaaaaaadnessssssssss! Yes the God running for his life in RED TSHIRT is Sachin Tendulkar!! twitter.com/MaiKhelega/sta…
— Deepak Khurana (@MaiKhelega) January 6, 2013

9.20am - 'The ball of my life' Murtuja Vahora, who bowled Sachin Tendulkar through the slightest of gates yesterday, says it is perhaps the best ball he has bowled not least because of the stature of the batsman he got with it. It really was a beauty because Tendulkar had moved well forward, but the ball sneaked through the little gap and sent the off stump cartwheeling

9.15am Let's talk about Services then with Abhishek Purohit. He was mighty impressed by the spirit shown by the underdogs. Here are his match report and a story on how Services' Shadab Nazar did it against the state he represented in junior cricket

9.05am Welcome to day two. The most interesting day's play today should happen in Indore, where Services are 20 ahead with five wickets in hand. Anything above 60-70 on low-scoring pitches can prove crucial. Elsewhere, Mumbai will look to build on a good first day. We are hoping for more play in Jamshedpur, where we have another delayed start. We had only 74 overs yesterday. In Rajkot there is a tussle going on between a middling first-innings score and a big one

Ranji Trophy

Sidharth Monga is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo