Mayank Agarwal and R. Samarth, both partners from their junior grade years, gave a boost to their statistical achievements by scoring centuries on a mundane day of cricket in the Group ‘A’ Ranji Trophy match at the Green Park Stadium here on Monday.
Resuming at 243 for five, Uttar Pradesh added 88 runs in 15 overs to end up with a first innings deficit of 324 runs. In the second innings, Karnataka notched up 262 for no loss when the game was called off before the start of the mandatory overs.
Karnataka, with a match against Railways in hand, took its points tally to 26 points from this drawn encounter. The next round, when Delhi (24 points) meets Hyderabad, will decided the Group topper. For Uttar Pradesh, the abysmal season ended with four points.
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For Agarwal, who fell ten runs short of a century in the first innings, the platform was ideal. A triple century against Maharashtra and a century against Delhi had reflected Agarwal’s brilliant run this season and his fifth first-class hundred warmed him up well for the next outing. “I just put value to my wicket and worked on my game this year. We had prepared well too,” said Agarwal.
Samarh (126 balls, 11x4, 2x6) too was crafting his third century of the season, and eighth of his career, to showcase his talent with the bat. Considered a player of immense potential to graduate to the next grade, Samarth matched Agarwal (171 balls, 12x4, 2x6) with his rousing strokeplay. “It was a good pitch to bat on. I was in good frame of mind to get a hundred,” added Samarth.
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