Bengal’s unique record, UP in semis

HT Correspondent

MUMBAI: Bengal entered the record books on Wednesday when each of their top-nine batters had scores of 50-plus to their name in the Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Jharkhand. It was for the first time that such a feat was achieved in the history of first-class cricket.

Bengal declared their innings on 773/7. At stumps, they reduced Jharkhand to 139/5.

The previous record was held by the Australians when eight of their batters scored 50-plus against a combined Oxford &

Cambridge Universities team way back in 1893.

UP beat Karnataka

Uttar Pradesh coach Vijay Dahiya had said before the start of their Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Karnataka that “UP have a young squad but full of potential”. On Wednesday, they delivered on that potential by putting in an all-round display to tame Karnataka by five wickets and enter the semi-finals.

Mulani’s spree continues

Shams Mulani (5/39) took his fifth five-wicket haul of the season as Mumbai skittled out Uttarakhand for 114 to take a

Bengal’s top-nine batters hit 50-plus scores against Jharkhand. This is the first time a team has managed this in a firstclass game

In Bengal’s total of 773/7 declared, there were four century-plus partnerships

huge first innings lead of 533 runs.

Opting to bat again instead of enforcing the follow-on, Mumbai

reached 261/3 at close of play to extend their lead to 794.

MP in command

Left-arm wrist-spinner Kumar Kartikeya, who recently played for Mumbai Indians in IPL, took 4/41 to reduce Punjab to 120/5. Brief scores: Bengal 773/7 decl. (S Gharami 186, A Majumdar 117). Jharkhand 139/5 (N Siddiqui 53; S Mondal 3/32); Karnataka 253 and 114. UP 155 and 213/5 (K Sharma 93 not out). UP won by 5 wkts; Mumbai 647/8 decl. and 261/3 (Y Jaiswal 103). Uttarakhand 114 (S Mulani 5/39); Punjab 219 and 120/5 (K Kartikeya 4/31). MP 397 (S Sharma 102; V Choudhary

5/83) at stumps on Day 3.