Raj beat Services in second Ranji win

Host Rajasthan thrashed Services by five wickets and registered their second consecutive victory in the Ranji Trophy Round 2 Elite Group C match at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium here on Thursday. The winners now have 12 points from two matches. Rajasthan had earlier defeated Jammu & Kashmir.

A brilliant 159 by man of the match Amitkumar Gautam who recorded an opening partnership of 170 with wicketkeeper Chetan Bist (78) helped Rajasthan eclipse the Services’ target of 357 in the 126th over of their second innings.

Resuming from the overnight score of 95 for no loss, Gautam and Bist piled on the miseries of Services, recovering from their first innings, especially Gauta, who had only scored one run as the host had fallen 92 runs behind the Services’ first innings total of 228. Gautam solidified Rajasthan’s run chase with a 52-run partnership with Robin Bist (30) and another 59-run stand with Ashok Menaria (36).

Amit completed his century off century off 281 balls while 150 run in 336 baalls. He hits 13 fours and six sixes in his innings.

After the match, Rajasthan skipper Mahipal Lomror told Hindustan Times that his team was “very happy to register two consecutive victories”. “But we are not looking for knockout and looking forward to the third match against Jharkhand”.

“The batsmen did well...(playing) with a team spirit,” he said. “But I am not satisfied with my performance in the last two matches. I could not convert my innings in a big way. The journey is long. We are looking forward to the next match.” Lomror scored 28 and 4 in the two innings of the match against Services.

He said that his team’s batting unit was “doing well and the start was good”, which helped the team win the match. “Batsmen played well. Particularly Amit and Robin Bist played well and both removed the pressure after losing two early wickets.”

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