Umesh Yadav celebrates © Associated Press
Vidarbha took only eight overs on the fifth day to wrap up victory by an innings and 115 runs against Ranji Trophy debutants Uttarakhand in their quarter-final in Nagpur. Umesh Yadav and left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate both took a five-wicket haul to bring a swift end to Uttarakhand’s second innings for 159.
Resuming on 152 for 5, Uttarakhand’s overnight batsman Saurabh Rawat, who had scored 108 in the first innings, was trapped in front by Umesh for a 21-ball duck after Sarwate had accounted for Malolan Rangarajan two overs into the day. At 154 for 7, Uttarakhand’s hopes of at least putting up a resistance vanished.
Umesh ended with 5 for 23 in 15 overs, adding to the 4 for 90 he had got in the first innings, and was adjudged the Man of the Match. Sarwate had 5 for 55 in 19.1 overs, and he sealed victory by castling No. 11 Dhanraj Sharma for his third wicket of the morning. It completed a fine all-round show for Sarwate, who had also hit his second first-class century in the first innings.
Uttarkhand had put on 355 in the first innings, to which Vidarbha responded with 629, with Wasim Jaffer’s 206 the highest score.
Vidarbha will now face Kerala in the semi-finals, in a repeat of last year’s quarter-final. On that occasion, a dominant Vidarbha had won by 412 runs in Surat, on the way to winning their maiden Ranji title.
Uttarakhand, who earned their spot in the quarter-final after topping the Plate Group, will be part of Group C next year.
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ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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