TN’s knockout hopes take a blow

Indore, Nov. 20: Tamil Nadu’s hopes of advancing to the Ranji Trophy knockouts suffered a blow after the Group C game against Madhya Pradesh ended in a tame draw on the final day here on Monday.

Needing an outright win in the two remaining games to keep their hopes of advancing alive, Tamil Nadu could only manage a first innings lead, which pegged it back in the race.

Having conceded a 62- run lead to the visitors, Madhya Pradesh batted till tea to ensure a rather dull day, making 351/ 4 declared in 102.5 overs.

Tamil Nadu were at 79/ 1 in pursuit of an improbable 290 in a session for victory when the game ended. The visiting team got three points to take their tally to 11 from five matches with one game against Baroda to go.

Resuming at the overnight score of 142/ 1, the partnership between Rajit Patidar and Shubham Sharma didn’t extend for too long with the former falling to K. Vignesh for 89 after adding 114 runs. The talented young Sharma was the next to go, caught by M. S. Washington Sundar off V. Yomahesh for 56 with the score on 172.

Vignesh removed MP skipper Devendra Bundela ( 17) at 208 to give Tamil Nadu some hope, but Harpreet Singh Bhatia ( 100 not out) and Ankit Dane ( 65 not out) thwarted whatever little hopes the rivals had with a 143- run partnership. Andhra currently lead Group C with 19 points from five matches, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 15 and Mumbai on 14. Tamil Nadu lies fourth with 11. Ambati Rayudu’s unbeaten 52 anchored Hyderabad’s chase of 142 in their fourwicket win over Assam in Guwahati.

Assam’s seamers Arup Das and Rajjakuddin Ahmed had lifted the side's hopes of defending a small total by rooting out Hyderabad’s top order for 18 within the first seven overs. Sixteen- year- old legspinner Riyan Parag’s two wickets then reduced Hyderabad to 69/ 5 before Rayudu and Akash Bhandari comfortably secured the win.

At Kanpur, R. Samarth and Mayank Agarwal struck centuries on the final day, as a drawn game against Uttar Pradesh ensured Karnataka’s place in the knockouts on the basis of first- innings points.

The Karnataka openers put up an unbroken stand of 262, after their bowlers had established up a firstinnings lead of 324.

The three points they earned put them at the top of the Group A table with 26 points; with Delhi on 23, the massive lead the two teams have in points have ensured their passage to the knockouts.