NEW DELHI: Off-spinner Jayant Yadav showcased a stellar performance, securing a five-wicket haul as Haryana took control of their Ranji Trophy Group A match against defending champions Saurashtra on the opening day in Rajkot.
Jayant's impressive figures of 5/42 in 16 overs dismantled the Saurashtra middle and lower order, complementing Sumit Kumar's early dismissals of the top three batters.
Cheteshwar Pujara, the senior batter for Saurashtra, who had scored a double century in the previous match, emerged as the top-scorer with 49 runs off 100 balls. However, Saurashtra found themselves all out for 145 in 55 overs after choosing to bat.
In response, Haryana asserted their dominance by reaching 122 for 1 off 33 overs at stumps. Ankit Kumar and Himanshu Rana led the charge, batting on 68 and 38 respectively, providing their team with a 23-run first-innings lead.
Ankit's innings, featuring nine fours and one six off 99 balls, played a crucial role in Haryana's strong position in the match.
Virat's 108 takes Jharkhand to 292/5 against Maharashtra
In a Group A match in Pune, Jharkhand's captain, Virat Singh, played a captain's innings, scoring 108 runs off 171 balls on the opening day against Maharashtra. His innings, comprising eight fours and three sixes, was instrumental in Jharkhand reaching 292 for 5 from 89 overs at stumps.
Contributing to the team's total, Kumar Suraj played a valuable knock of 83 runs off 156 balls, featuring 11 fours and one six.
Maharashtra's bowlers faced resistance, with Hitesh Walunj taking three wickets and Ashay Palkar claiming two by the end of the day's play. Despite the wickets, Jharkhand ended the day in a strong position, thanks to the solid performances from Virat Singh and Kumar Suraj.
Brief Scores:
(With PTI inputs)
