The Hindu : Sport : Gujarat is Plate champion

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Gujarat is Plate champion

Special Correspondent

Bangar’s six-wicket haul goes in vain for Railways

Both teams qualified for the Elite Group
Three spilled catches cost Railways the title

— Photo: PTI

VICTORIOUS: The Gujarat team poses with the winner’s trophy.

MUMBAI: Jay Desai, batting at No. 8, kept his nerve as Gujarat squeaked through for a one-wicket win in the Ranji Trophy Plate final against Railways.

Both teams, however, qualified for the Elite Group next season. The champion, who became richer by Rs. 25 lakhs, handled the pressure better scoring 152 for nine on the fifth and final day at the Brabourne stadium,

Desai flicked Sanjay Bangar to mid-wicket for the winning runs. He and tailender Siddharth Trivedi played out consecutive maiden overs off Bangar and Murali Kartik, setting up a nail-biting finish.

Railways’ bowlers had almost pulled it off with Bangar (six for 53) and Kartik (two for 48) tightening the screws.

Three spilled catches cost the former Ranji Trophy champion the title.

Kartik suffered on each occasion and one of the batsmen to benefit was Desai.

Bangar rocks

Bangar rocked Gujarat with the wicket of opener Nilesh Modi early in the morning, having him caught behind by Mahesh Rawat.

He snared Parthiv Patel, Saxena sent back Niraj Patel (27 runs, 27 balls) and top-scorer Mohnish Parmar (41 off 36 balls, eight fours) fell to Kartik’s wiles, exposing the Gujarat tail to Bangar’s swing bowling.

Two wickets off consecutive balls, Ashraf Makda bowled when attempting a heave and Amit Singh leg before off the first ball faced and Railways scented victory.

Gujarat at 143 for nine was seven runs away from target. Desai, unbeaten on 17 off 35 balls, remained at the crease for 45 minutes, tailender Trivedi played out 14 deliveries (two not out) to swing the game its way.

Raj Singh Dungarpur, back as Cricket Club of India president, gave away the prizes.

Former England opener and ex-ICC Match Referee, Raman Subba Row, was also present.

The scores:

Railways — 1st innings: 260.

Gujarat — 1st innings: 280

Railways — 2nd innings: 169

Gujarat — 2nd innings: Nilesh Modi c Rawat b Bangar 18, Rajesh Tabiar lbw Bangar 13, Parthiv Patel c Joshi b Bangar 0, Niraj Patel c Rawat b Saxena 27, Mohnish Parmar c Parida b Kartik 41, Hem Joshipura c & b Kartik 7, Timil Patel c Rawat b Bangar 0, Jay Desai (not out) 17, Ashraf Makda b Bangar 1, Amit Singh lbw Bangar 0, Siddharth Trivedi (not out) 2. Extras (lb-8, nb-16, w-2) 26. Total (for nine wickets in 57 overs) 152.

Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-34, 3-51, 4-78, 5-124, 6-127, 7-131, 8-143, 9-143.

Railways bowling: Bangar 22-9-53-6, Singh 10-5-28-0, Sanyal 7-4-11-1, Kartik 17-5-48-2, Parida 1-0-4-0, Saxena 7-4-11-1.

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