Ranji Trophy 2022 HIGHLIGHTS, pre-quarterfinal day 5: Jharkhand qualifies for quarterfinals after Nagaland hammering

Welcome to Sportstar's coverage of the day 5 of the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy pre-quarterfinal between Jharkhand and Nagaland from Kolkata.

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Ranji Trophy 2022: Jharkhand records third-highest match aggregate by a team in first-class history  

That's it then. The teams have decided to settle for a draw after an unprecedented pounding by Jharkhand over Nagaland. They qualify for the quarterfinals as the eighth team on the basis of gaining first innings lead. That's it for now, follks. Join us back in two months time for the quarterfinals coverage.

Jharkhand 417/6 in 90.3 overs: Jharkhand declares with a 1008-run lead! Kumar Kushagra is the last man to fall on 89, missing his second ton of the game as Nagaland is nearly through the horrid show. 

Jharkhand 309/3 in 71.4 overs: Jharkhand's lead has touched 900! Anukul Roy and Kumar Kushagra continue to feast on a hapless attack.

Y.B. Sarangi: Jharkhand 298/3 in 69 overs at lunch. Anukul Roy gets his hundred and is on 110. Kumar Kushagra is batting on 37 in another dull day's action

Jharkhand 288/3 in 66 overs: Anukul Roy has backed up his half-century in the first innings with a century as Jharkhand's lead reaches 880/

Y.B. Sarangi: Jharkhand 225/3 in 57 overs.  Utkarsh Singh made 73, Anukul Roy got his second successive half century in the match and is batting on 62. Kumar Kushagra batting on 16.

Jharkhand 204/3 in 52 overs: Roy and Kushagra lift Jharkhand over 200 after opener Utkarsh fell for 73.

Jharkhand 169/2 in 47 overs: Utkarsh Singh and Anukul Roy continue to plunder the runs after resuming to bat. 37 runs in the first 10 overs of the day as the lead sails past 750 once again. Bet no one saw this coming once again from Jharkhand.

- Day 5 begins -

STUMPS: Jharkhand 132/2 in 37 overs - lead by 723 runs.

Chetan Bist’s determined unbeaten hundred was in vain as Jharkhand banked on its hardworking bowlers to restrict Nagaland for 289 and achieve its primary target of notching up the first innings lead on the penultimate day of their Ranji Trophy pre-quarterfinal match at the Eden Gardens here on Tuesday.

Notwithstanding the size of the margin, the whopping 591-run lead ensured that Jharkhand – which chose to bat again instead of enforcing follow-on and ended the day at 132 for two in its second essay – would enter the quarterfinals in case the match is decided on the basis of first innings aggregates.

AS IT HAPPENED | Ranji Trophy 2022 HIGHLIGHTS, pre-quarterfinal day 4: Jharkhand extends lead to 723 runs, Nagaland's Bist becomes top scorer

The other probable outcome is an outright win for Jharkhand.

Nagaland, resuming from 130 for four, lost two more wickets by the first drinks break. Left-arm seamer Sushant Mishra accounted for Abu Nechim (32, 62b, 5x4, 1x6), who added 53 with Bist, and Imliwati Lemtur (4) by employing the rising deliveries in consecutive overs.

Hokaito Zhimomi, who retired hurt on five on the previous day, and Bist resisted for an hour before the former hit Anukul Roy to mid-wicket.

Bist (122 not out, 253b, 13x4, 1x6), who was behind the stumps for more than 203 overs, showed character to stay put for most part of Nagaland's first essay despite exhaustion.

The 32-year-old played some fine shots, especially on the square of the wicket on both sides, as he forged handy partnerships worth 45 and 35 with tail-enders Raja Swarnkar (17) and Khrivitso Kense (13) respectively.

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Bist achieved his fifth hundred of the season and third in successive innings.

Shahbaz Nadeem bowled 36.3 overs tightly on a flat pitch to pick up three wickets, while Mishra and Anukul claimed two apiece.

Opener Utkarsh Singh scored a half-century (50 not out, 106b, 6x4) as Jharkhand let its batters have some practice in the middle. The left-hander associated with Nazim Siddiqui (42, 48b, 6x4) and Kumar Suraj (31, 42b, 3x4) to collect 63 and 46 respectively.

Jharkhand led by 723 runs with a day left in the match.

- Y.B. Sarangi

The scores:

Jharkhand 880 in 203.4 overs and 132/2 in 37 overs (Utkarsh Singh 50 n.o., Nazim Siddiqui 42, Kumar Suraj 31) vs Nagaland 289 in 103.3 overs (Chetan Bist 122 n.o., Shrikant Mundhe 39, Abu Nechim 32, Shahbaz Nadeem 3/70).
 

Who have made the quarterfinals

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