Despite losses in the last round game to Saurashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh progressed from Group B to the knockout stage of the Ranji Trophy, the Mumbai-Maharashtra game ended in a thrilling draw on Friday.
Although Saurashtra, Andhra and Maharashtra finished equal on 26 points after seven rounds of the league stage, the first two teams entered the quarter-finals, while Maharashtra missed out as it did not get any bonus points.
Andhra, who were on 19 points before the final round match against Assam, trounced their opponent by an innings to earn the bonus point that helped them beat Maharashtra.
Mumbai, who were in the reckoning but needed to score or secure a first-innings lead to get three points and reach 26 points, followed a tie with Maharashtra on a first-innings score of 374 in the final round match. Only 1 was successful.
In Chennai, left-arm spinner S Ajith Ram took six wickets to guide Tamil Nadu to a 59-run win over Saurashtra.
Needing 266 runs to win, the visitors were bowled out for 206 in 68.2 overs as Harvik Desai’s marathon inning of 101 (205 balls, 10 fours, 3 sixes) went in vain.
Saurashtra started the game at 1 for 4 in the 12th over and Ram dismissed night watchman Chetan Sakaria (1) and Sheldon Jackson (1).
Another left-arm spinner M Siddharth dismissed Chirag Jani (13).
Experienced Arpit Vasavada (45) stitched an 89-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Desai to decimate the home side’s bowling attack.
With the pitch offering turn and keeping some balls low, two batsmen – Desai and Vasavada – chose to remain watchful. When the Tamil Nadu bowlers erred in line and length, Desai did not miss the chance to score.
Siddharth ended the partnership by bowling Vasavada.
Comeback player Ravindra Jadeja came in with the team’s hopes of saving the game.
After scoring just 15 runs in the first innings, the left-handed batsman would be looking to improve. He played cautiously and shared a 51-run partnership with Desai.
After starting with a reverse sweep for four, Jadeja played it slow for a while. Tamil Nadu benefited from his dismissal by Ajith Ram caught by B Aparajith.
Despite stiff resistance from Desai, Ajit Ram ran lower down the order. Desai’s defiant knock ended when Sandeep Warrier (1/5) dismissed him, signaling the end of the match.
Ajit Ram ended his first season with a bang with impressive figures of 6 for 54.
It was TN’s second win of the season and helped them finish fifth with 25 points.
bow Mumbai, Maharashtra; Andhra entered
In Mumbai, it was a tumultuous final day of the match between the home team and Maharashtra. After both sides scored 384 runs in the first innings, Maharashtra were bowled out for 252 in the second innings.
Needing 253 runs in 28 overs to win, the Mumbai batsmen were on the attack from the start, but captain Ajinkya Rahane (35) was dismissed by Pradeep Dadhe and Divyansh (63) by Satyajit Bachav.
Mumbai were 58 runs short at the end of the game.
The drawn match enabled Andhra (26 points) to enter the knockouts ahead of Mumbai and Maharashtra along with Saurashtra.
Delhi suffered a nine-wicket defeat after Hyderabad drew against TN in the opening game to end a disappointing season with six straight defeats. Hyderabad will move to the plate group in the next season.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)