Sport - Cricket

Jaydev scintillates

Rajkot: Jaydev Shah struck a devastating 178 (199b, 25 x 4, 4 x 6) as host Saurashtra surpassed Punjab’s first innings score of 482 to take three points and then declared at a massive 679 for eight, with less than 15 mandatory overs remaining, as their Ranji Trophy Super League ended in a draw here on Wednesday.

Punjab’s, whose display on the field was appalling, frittered away a chance to run out Shah when Saurashtra’s score was 422 and paid heavily for it.

After Taruwar Kohli had stopped a firm shot by Shah at point, none of the close-in fielders or wicket-keeper Uday Kaul rushed to the wicket to receive Kohli’s direct hit attempt from about 20 metres.

As the ball raced towards the boundary, Shah, who had charged half way down the wicket, regained his ground much to the delight of his teammates and non-striker Ravindersinh Jadeja.

After losing the opportunity to see the back of Shah in the first half an hour of the fourth and final day’s play, a listless Punjab allowed the Saurashtra captain the freedom to hit the ball in the direction he wanted to.

Watched by his father Niranjan Shah, former BCCI Secretary, and former India left arm spinner Dilip Doshi, Jaydev, keen to run into form, came down the pitch to the spinners, stiffened his wrists and hit many power-packed shots. His partnership with the circumspect Jadeja (56, 131b, 6 x 4) fetched 231 runs.

Shah completed his 150 with a lift-drive over the head of Charanjit and was dismissed when he top-edged a big on side shot to Ravneet Ricky at point.

Not gifted with an ability to dispense guile, Charanjit, his action already under observation, conceded 220 runs. Similarly Varun Khanna did not show a cunning left-arm and his three wickets cost him nearly 54 apiece.

The scores:

Punjab — 1st innings: 482

Saurashtra — 1st innings: K. Waghela lbw b Gagandeep 16, B. Chauhan lbw b Khanna 45, S. Kotak c Kaul b Charanjit 102, C. Pujara lbw b Gony 189, R. Jadeja c Kaul b Khanna 56, J. Shah c Rocky b Charanjit 178, S. Jogiani (run out) 25, R. Dhruv lbw b Khanna 10, K. Makwana (not out) 12, S. Jobanputra (not out) 25; Extras (b-3, lb-4, nb-12, w-2) 21; Total (for eight wkts. in 198 overs) 679.

Fall of wickets: 1-44, 2-95, 3-353, 4-370, 5-531, 6-623, 7-631, 8-639.

Punjab bowling: Gagandeep 28-10-66-1, Gony 34-10-93-1, Khanna 48-7-161-3, Charanjit 59-9-220-2, Kakkar 13-1-79-0, Kohli 8-1-44-0, Sohal 2-1-1-0, Ravinder 2-1-2-0, Ricky 1-0-2-0, Dharmani 2-2-0-0, Kaul 1-0-4-0.

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