Tejinder fashions innings victory for Railways

A lethal spell by seamer Tejinder Singh bowled Railways to an innings and 28 run victory over Vidarbha on the final day of their Central Zone Ranji Trophy tie at the Karnail Singh Stadium in Delhi on Thursday. Tejinder, who scalped 5/37 in the first innings, added a collection of 6/95 in the second to terminate the Vidarbha innings at 339. Railways raised their tally to 13 points from two games while Vidarbha are without a point after a solitary encounter.

Resuming the day at 255/4, Vidarbha would have been looking to the overnight pair of Alind Naidu and Adwait Manohar to avoid the embarrassment of an innings defeat. But the seventeen year old Naidu, who was part of the second batch which trained at the National Cricket Academy for three weeks in September, fell in the fourth over of the day for 68 (102 balls, 7 fours).

Four more wickets crashed quickly as Vidarbha slumped from to 294/9. Only the 20 year old Manohar stood like a rock around the destruction wreaked by Tejinder. He finally found a durable customer in last man AM Jichkar who accompanied him in a 45 run stand. Finally in the 135th over of the innings, the match ended with Manohar becoming Tejinder's sixth victim. His gallant four and a half hour long knock had netted 72 (222 balls, 7 fours).

Earlier on the second day, Rajasthan declared at a colossal 456/6 in reply to Vidarbha's meagre 89. Raja Ali and Yere Goud were involved in a 157 run fourth wicket stand, ending when Goud fell for 96 (181 balls, 10 fours). Ali went on to complete three figures before being sixth out for 112 (184 balls, 7 fours, 3 sixes). S Sahu laid into a tiring Vidarbha attack with a breezy unbeaten 52 off 35 balls inclusive of 6 fours and 2 sixes before the hosts closed shop after procuring a lead of 367.

Vidarbha's batsmen gave a much better account of themselves in their second opportunity. Openers Amit Deshpande and V Naidu added 46 without being separated on the second evening. Next morning, their stand was worth 81 when Naidu fell for a rousing 44 (63 balls, 7 fours). Wicket keeper Deshpande exactly doubled his partner's score before perishing to Tejinder for 88 (164 balls, 8 fours, 2 sixes). Although Naidu and Manohar joined hands for a last ditch effort that continued into the fourth day, raising a 78 run stand before Tejinder scythed through the tail.