Rinku’s unbeaten ton rescues UP; Goa make steady start
GROUP A
Kanpur, Oct 18: Rinku Singh struck an unbeaten 118 to rescue Uttar Pradesh from a precarious position before Goa made a steady start to reach 43 without loss at stumps on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match here on Sunday.
Rinku’s patient knock, studded with 11 fours and two sixes, helped Uttar Pradesh recover from a top-order collapse and post 202 in 71 overs after opting to bat.
Goa were 43 without loss in 12 overs at stumps, with wicketkeeper-batter Shivendra Bhujbal unbeaten on 31 off 39 balls and Suyash Prabhudessai on 12. They trail by 159 runs.
Uttar Pradesh were in trouble early after Abhishek Goswami (5), Aryan Juyal (14) and Karan Sharma (0) departed cheaply, reducing the side to 33 for three.
Madhav Kaushik offered resistance with a 96-ball 45 before falling to Shubham Tari, leaving UP at 90 for four.
Rinku then held the innings together as wickets continued to fall at the other end. He found little support from the lower order but ensured his side crossed the 200-run mark before being left unbeaten.Goa leg-spinner Yash Kasvankar was the pick of the bowlers, claiming five wickets for 86 runs in 25 overs. Ruthvik Naik took two wickets, while Tari and Lalit Yadav claimed one each.
Baroda struggle after Bihar fold for 166
Baroda were 77 for three in reply to Bihar’s 166 at stumps.Bihar, who were dismissed in 53 overs, will look to capitalise on their modest total by making further inroads into the Baroda batting line-up on the second day.
MP lose two wickets against Puducherry
Puducherry were dismissed for 177 in 65.2 overs before Madhya Pradesh reached 23 for two in 20 overs at stumps in their Group A contest.
Madhya Pradesh trail by 154 runs and will need a substantial partnership on the second day to close the gap.
J&K post 260 against Vidarbha
Defending champions Jammu and Kashmir were bowled out for 260 in 82.5 overs after being put in to bat by Vidarbha in the other Group A fixture.Vidarbha will begin their reply on the second day with the opportunity to take the first-innings lead. (PTI)