At 37, Saxena continues the nice behavior
The win in opposition to Bengal, nevertheless, might not be sufficient to fireplace them into the knockouts because the gulf between them and second-placed Andhra [in Group B] is an enormous 11 factors that they can not bridge even when they safe a bonus-point win in their ultimate group-stage fixture.
Saxena additionally contributed useful runs with the bat, notching up 40 and 37 in the 2 innings as Kerala gained by 109 runs. After quick bowler MD Nidheesh picked up the primary wicket, Saxena picked up the remaining 9 wickets as he wheeled away unchanged for 21.1 overs. Bengal had been bowled out for 180 to concede a lead of 183. Kerala then powered to 265 for six declared to set Bengal a goal of 449, which proved approach too many.
Abhimanyu Easwaran, who led India A throughout the unofficial Exams in opposition to England Lions, was the lone Bengal top-order batter to supply solidity. He ended the sport with scores of 72 and 65 to finish a string of inconsistent scores in opposition to the Lions. Shahbaz Ahmed, the Bengal allrounder, made 80 in the second innings.
Like Kerala, Bengal too are out of the operating for a knockouts. It is more and more trying like toppers Mumbai, who scraped out a draw after clinching an exciting one-run lead over Chhattisgarh, and Andhra would be the two qualifiers from Group B.
Like Saxena, Railways’ left-arm-spinner Akash Pandey additionally picked up 9 wickets in an innings as Goa misplaced by 63 runs in Surat. Chasing 306, Goa had been handily positioned at 142 for 3 earlier than Pandey hastened their collapse. Suyash Prabhudessai, who has already struck three lots of this season, resisted with 67, however there was little assist from the remainder of the batting group.
The win takes Railways to fourth in Group C, and keeps them in the hunt for an unlikely knockout berth as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, who performed out a thriller in Chepauk, are the front-runners to qualify from this pool.
Khejroliya hat-trick flooring Baroda
Kulwant Khejroliya, the left-arm quick bowler, turned solely the third bowler in Ranji Trophy historical past to choose up 4 wickets in 4 balls as Madhya Pradesh secured a bonus-point win over Baroda to all however safe a berth in the knockouts. Delhi’s Shankar Saini and Jammu & Kashmir’s Mohammed Mudhasir have beforehand achieved this feat.
Khejroliya, who moved earlier than the season from Delhi, ended with match figures of seven for 57. 5 of these, together with the hat trick, got here in the second innings after Baroda had been made to comply with on. Having gone wicketless in 11 overs, Khejroliya struck in his twelfth to take away Shashwat Rawat, Mahesh Pithiya, Bhargav Bhatt and Akash Singh. Khejroliya dismissed Atit Sheth three overs later to choose up his fifth as MP secured victory.
Regardless of the defeat, Baroda are nonetheless positioned second in Group D and are solely three factors adrift of toppers Madhya Pradesh. Jammu & Kashmir, unbeaten after six video games, are nonetheless in with a slim probability at third after they beat Puducherry by 19 runs in defence of a modest 86.
Jayant, Tewatia impress; Pujara scores big for Saurashtra
Vidarbha fortified their place on the high of Group A with a bonus-point victory over Maharashtra. On the identical time, Saurashtra strengthened their place by leaping to 3rd, following a 218-run win over Rajasthan.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Sheldon Jackson hit lots of to assist open up a big first-innings rating, earlier than Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, the left-arm-spinner, got here into his personal to choose up a 12-for in the match. Seven of these got here in the second innings as Saurashtra defended 306 in fashion; Rajasthan had been bundled out for 87.
The win takes Saurashtra inside two factors of second-placed Haryana with one match to play. By the way, Haryana did not do their possibilities any hurt as they crushed Jharkhand by an innings and 205 runs, with Rahul Tewatia making 144. With the ball, offspinner Jayant Yadav picked up 5 wickets in every innings to seal victory.
Elsewhere, Hyderabad and Meghalaya earned a promotion to the Elite pool for the subsequent season after securing an entry into the ultimate of the Plate League. Hyderabad are unbeaten after 5 video games, whereas Meghalaya have three wins and two losses.
