Last Update: February 04, 2023, 00:16 IST
The fifth day’s play is going well and Punjab need 200 runs with eight wickets remaining. (Twitter/@BCCIDomestic)
After losing the first innings lead to Punjab, Saurashtra scored 379 in their second innings to set the opposition a target of 252.
Captain Arpit Vasavada, Chirag Jani, Prerak Mankad and Parth Bhut struck half-centuries as Saurashtra bounced back in their Ranji Trophy quarter-final clash against Punjab here on Friday.
After losing the first innings lead to Punjab, Saurashtra scored 379 in their second innings to set the opposition a target of 252.
Vasavada (77) and Jani (77) shared a 160-run partnership for the fifth wicket, before Mankad (88) and Bhut (51) shared a crucial 92-run partnership for the eighth wicket.
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The fifth day’s play is going well and Punjab need 200 runs with eight wickets remaining. Pukhraj Mann (17 batting) and night watchman Siddharth Kaul (2 batting) were the closer middle of the game.
With the pitch offering plenty of turn, 2020 Ranji champions Saurashtra will prepare themselves for the task on Saturday. He will need a special batting effort from Punjab to reach the semi-finals.
Saurashtra got a shot in hand when they removed the opening pair of Prabhasimran Singh and Naman Dheer, both of whom scored brilliant centuries in the first innings to take Punjab to 431.
Dhir was the first to be dismissed as he made room to drive a turning ball from left-arm spinner Parth Bhut, only to edge it to first slip. Tempers flared in the middle with the bowlers appealing on almost everything and the Punjab batsmen were not amused.
Prabhasimran went before stumps in the final over as he missed a fast and straight delivery from Bhut, leaving him leg before.
Brief scores: Saurashtra: 303 and 379 all out in 120.1 overs (Arpit Vasavada 77, Chirag Jani 77, Prerak Mankad 88; Vinay Chowdhary 7/179).
Punjab 1st innings: 431 all out and 52/2 in 23 overs (Pukhraj Mann bt 17, Siddarth Kaul 2 bt; Parth Bhut 2/30).
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)