Vidarbha produced an emphatic bowling display to crush Madhya Pradesh by an innings and 20 runs in their Group A Ranji Trophy clash. Wrapping up the contest inside three days, the two-time champions earned valuable bonus points alongside a commanding victory. Madhya Pradesh batters had no answer to the probing spin attack, which dismantled their line-up across both innings to secure a one-sided result.
Harsh Dubey and Parth Rekhade Dismantle Madhya Pradesh
The standout performer of the contest was spinner Harsh Dubey, who finished with a match haul of 14 wickets. After returning remarkable figures of 9 for 45 in the opening innings, Dubey maintained unrelenting pressure in the second innings as well, claiming 5 for 37. Complementing him brilliantly from the opposite end, Parth Rekhade delivered a devastating spell of 5 for 14 in just seven overs. Their collective bowling blitz caused Madhya Pradesh to capitulate for a meager total of 105 in their second essay.
Vidarbha Strengthens Position at the Top of Group A
With this comprehensive three-day triumph, Vidarbha climbed to the summit of the Group A points table. The two-time title winners have now accumulated a total of 26 points from their opening four matches of the round. Securing the bonus point ensures they maintain a commanding position in the race for the knockout qualification spots.
Goa Trounces Bihar by an Innings and 177 Runs
Elsewhere, host team Goa registered an equally dominant victory, thrashing Bihar by an innings and 177 runs inside three days to bag bonus points. Goa set up the game by mounting a formidable total of 397 runs in their first innings. In reply, Bihar struggled right from the outset, getting restricted to 107 for nine in their initial essay. Goa's bowling unit, spearheaded by Lalit Yadav, showed no respite following-on, packing Bihar off for just 113 in their second innings to wrap up a massive win.
First-Innings Leads for Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir
In another engaging battle, Uttar Pradesh gained a crucial 100-run first-innings cushion against Baroda. Responding to Baroda's first-innings score of 355, Uttar Pradesh reached 455 for eight. With the encounter heading toward a stalemate, the hosts are poised to take match points based on their first-innings advantage. Similarly, Jammu & Kashmir put themselves in pole position to claim three points against Puducherry on the basis of their lead. In reply to Puducherry's 385, Jammu & Kashmir posted 491 for five with one day left to play, securing a 106-run lead.
