RANJI TROPHY | Saurashtra vs Punjab match hurtles towards early finish as 23 wickets fall on day one

Left-arm rotation ruled the roost arsenic a whopping 23 wickets fell connected the opening time of Saurashtra’s important Ranji Trophy Group B necktie against Punjab astatine the Niranjan Shah Stadium C crushed present connected Thursday.

While Harpreet Brar (6/38 & 2/6) and Parth Bhut (5/33) emerged arsenic the stars of Punjab and Saurashtra’s bowling attacks, the crippled remained successful equilibrium with the erstwhile managing to negate the 33-run archetypal innings shortage with 3 speedy strikes successful the past 25 minutes of Saurashtra’s 2nd essay.

When offie Jass Inder got 1 to rotation done Jay Gohil’s gates and deed the woodwork, Saurashtra was placed astatine 24 for three, with an wide pb of 57 runs and nightwatcher Dharmendra Jadeja astatine the crease.

With Saurashtra successful request of outright wins successful the past 2 games to support its qualification hopes alive, it wasn’t a astonishment to spot a turning way connected offer. While the transportation wasn’t arsenic demonic arsenic the scoreboard hints at, a operation of close bowling and deficiency of exertion by a bulk of the batters resulted successful a stark anticipation of a two-day decorativeness connected the cards.

So lopsided was the contention successful favour of spinners that the 3 pacers combined from some teams bowled lone 11 of the 93.2 overs that were played connected the day.

Jaydev Unadkat, the Saurashtra captain, won a important toss, and Gohil’s prima enactment with the willow — the lone 50 of the time — helped Saurashtra transverse the 150-run mark. Gohil drove and chopped the spinners with panache contempt wickets tumbling astatine the different end.

Similarly, aft Saurashtra folded up soon aft lunch, Punjab opener Prabhsimran Singh dominated seasoned Ravindra Jadeja – who shared the caller shot with Unadkat. Only aft Dharmendra and Bhut – the different 2 left-arm spinners were employed – did Saurashtra statesman controlling the game.

Bhut’s duplicate strikes successful an implicit – Nehal Wadhera and Shubman Gill – tilted the equilibrium successful Saurashtra’s game. And it remained truthful till Punjab brought parity to the scoreboard with 3 speedy strikes towards the fag-end of the day’s proceedings.

The scores: Saurashtra – 1st innings: Harvik Desai c Harnoor b Harpreet 13, Chirag Jani c Anmolpreet b Sanvir 8, Jay Gohil c Dutta b Harpreet 82, Arpit Vasavada c Harpreet b Dutta 2, Ravindra Jadeja c Harpeet b Jass 7, Prerak Mankad lbw b Harpreet 32, Sammar Gajjar c Prabhsimran b Jass 0, Hetwik Kotak b Harpreet 12, Parth Bhut b Harpreet 0, Dharmendra Jadeja lbw b Harpreet 5, Jaydev Unadkat (not out) 7; Extras (lb-4): 4; Total (in 47.1 overs): 172.

Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-34, 3-41, 4-66, 5-125, 6-136, 7-153, 8-153, 9-165.

Punjab bowling: Bhagat 3-1-17-0, Sanvir 4-2-10-1, Harpreet 18.1-6-38-6, Dutta 11-2-32-1, Jass 11-1-71-2.

Punjab – 1st innings: Harnoor Singh c Harvik b Unadkat 0, Prabhsimran Singh lbw b Dharmendra 44, Uday Saharan c Kotak b Dharmendra 23, Nehal Wadhera c Vasavada b Bhut 6, Shubman Gill lbw b Bhut 0, Anmolpreet Singh c & b Bhut 35, Prerit Dutta lbw b Bhut 11, Sanvir Singh b Jadeja 1, Krish Bhagat b Bhut 3, Harpreet Brar lbw b Ravindra 12, Jass Inder (not out) 4; Total (in 40.1 overs): 139.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-50, 3-73, 4-73, 5-73, 6-119, 7-120, 8-120, 9-135.

Saurashtra bowling: Unadkat 4-1-22-1, Ravindra 12.1-2-48-2, Dharmendra 12-2-36-2, Bhut 12-2-33-5.

Saurashtra – 2nd innings: Harvik Desai c Anmolpreet b Harpreet 6, Chirag Jani c Harnoor b Harpreet 5, Dharmendra Jadeja (batting) 5, Jay Gohil b Jass 8; Total (for 3 wkts. successful 6 overs): 24.

Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-15, 3-24.

Punjab bowling: Harpreet 3-2-6-2, Dutta 2-0-9-0, Jass 1-0-9-1.