Source – outlookindia.com
Offspinner Pulkit Narang claimed 6/58 to precipitate a Jharkhand collapse and hand Services victory by 118 runs in an Elite Group C Ranji Trophy match at the Air Force Complex ground, Palam here on Thursday.
Jharkhand were 158/1, and then 190/2 – but were shot out for 267.
Narang had never taken more than three wickets in a match earlier, but was on song as he added to the 2-0-7-1 he had in the first innings. He returned match figures of 7/65 and duly grabbed the Man of the Match award.
This has dealt a huge blow to Jharkhand”s chances of challenging for a place in the top two and making it to the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Bengal had rain to blame as they frittered three points and had to split one point against Delhi in a Group A tie in Kolkata.
Only seven overs of play was possible on Day 4 where Delhi reached 242/7 in reply to Bengal”s first innings score of 318. Bengal were left to rue the delay as they fancied their chances of getting three points based on a first innings lead if a full day”s play took place.
Gujarat beat Vidarbha by four wickets in another Group A clash.
In Group B, Mumbai drew with Himachal Pradesh as all three days were washed out without a ball bowled with Sarfaraz Khan missing out on continuing his run-scoring spree. He had taken just two innings to vault to the top of the run-scorers” list in the Elite Group teams. In another Group B clash, Karnataka thrashed Railways by 10 wickets.
In Group C, Maharashtra beat Tripura by five wickets as Odisha pummelled Assam by an innings and three runs. Chhattisgarh drew with Jammu & Kashmir while Services beat Jharkhand by 118 runs. Haryana drew with Uttarakhand but got three points riding their first innings lead.