RANJI TROPHY
GROUP C
Rohtak, Jan 31: Left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed produced the best match figures of his first-class career to power his adopted home state Bengal to a commanding 188-run victory over Haryana inside three days and storm into the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals unbeaten here on Saturday.
On a difficult surface that assisted the bowlers throughout, Shahbaz returned extellents figures of 6/38 after claiming 5/42 in the first innings, finishing with a match haul of 11/80 as Haryana, chasing a challenging 294, folded for 105 in 26.1 overs in a must-win game.
The Mewat-born spinner ripped through the top order, accounting for the first six wickets to virtually close the contest.
Table-toppers Bengal, who had already secured their quarter-final berth after beating Services in the previous round, thus completed their group campaign unbeaten with 36 points, including five outright wins.
It was the end of the road for Haryana with Uttarakhand holding the advantage against Assam in Dehradun in the race for the second knockout spot. Earlier, Bengal resumed the day on 155/3 but suffered a collapse, losing their remaining seven wickets for just 45 runs in less than 16 overs to be bowled out for 200 in 56.5 overs.
Skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran top-scored with a fighting 83 off 157 balls, extending his overnight 61 before being trapped by spinner Tanmay Baloda (2/51) as the eighth wicket fell at 197.
The modest total still stretched Bengal’s overall lead to 293, setting Haryana a stiff 294-run target to seal their quarterfinal berth.
Haryana began positively with Yuvraj Singh and skipper Ankit Kumar adding 44 runs in eight overs, but the innings unravelled once Shahbaz came into the attack.
He struck with the very first ball of the ninth over, dismissing Yuvraj (22), and then removed Ashish Siwach (0) off the next ball.
In the fourth ball of the same over, he had Himanshu Rana (0), triggering a dramatic collapse.
Though Ankit and Dheeru Singh tried to steady the innings with a brief 24-run stand, Shahbaz broke through again as Haryana slipped to 69/6.
Pacers Mukesh Kumar (2/40) and Akash Deep (1/21) cleaned up the tail, while debutant left-arm spinner Vikas Singh claimed his maiden first-class wicket in Aman Kumar.
Uttarakhand eyeing quarters berth
In Dehradun, Assam were forced to follow on after being bundled out for 140 in reply to Uttarakhand’s imposing 460/7 declared.
Seamer Aditya Rawat (3/24) and spinners Mayank Mishra (3/36) and Jagadeesha Suchith (2/25) did most of the damage as Assam collapsed from 91/4 overnight to 140 all out in 69.1 overs, with Rituraj Biswas top-scoring with 62.
At stumps on day three, Assam were 224/6 in their second innings, still 96 runs away from making Uttarakhand bat again.
Uttarakhand, currently on 22 points, remain firmly in contention for a knockout berth after Bengal. (PTI)
