Ranji Trophy Highlights, Semifinals Day 5: Bengal thrashes MP, Saurashtra overcomes Karnataka to reach final

Bengal will host the Ranji Trophy final against Saurashtra, by virtue of having secured more points than its fellow finalist in the group stage.

This will also be an opportunity for Bengal to take revenge for the 2019-20 final, when Saurashtra pipped it to the title.

Saurashtra beats Karnataka by four wickets.

Bengal beats Madhya Pradesh by 306 runs.

Saurashtra win by four wickets. Karnataka made a good fist of the challenge, but in the end Arpit Vasavada’s calmness and composure and Chetan Sakariya’s counterattack took them through. Saurashtra to meet Bengal in the final starting on Feb 16.

Sakariya edges one from Koushik to the keeper and he has to walk back, after he played a game-swinging knock. His shot making snuffed any glimmer of hope Karnataka had with some lusty blows.

Saurashtra 105-6 in 30.4 overs vs Karnataka

Saurashtra needs 10 runs to win!

While Gowtham is doing what is expected of him, Karnataka having problem deciding on who should bowl from the other end. Now it’s Shreyas Gopal and he is at once banished into the stands behind deep mid wicket by Sakariya. Third six!

Arpit now hits Vyshak for three fours in a single over. Saurashtra skipper soaking in the pressure.

The decision to promote Sakariya looks like a genius one. Those sixes from his blade have pushed Karnataka back a bit.

Chetan Sakariya sent in with a clear message to hit out. Plants his foot across and smashes Gowtham for two big sixes over deep mid wicket. Great battle this. Saurashtra needs 57 and Karnataka five wickets.

One more wicket goes. Chirag Jani out leg before to Gowtham. Again with a ball that kept a tad low. Credit to Gowtham for being incredibly accurate and let the pitch do the rest.

Saurashtra 42-5 in 17.2 overs vs Karnataka

MARGIN - OPPONENT - VENUE - SEASON

• 540 RUNS - ODISHA - CUTTACK - 1953-54
• 355 RUNS - ODISHA - KOLKATA - 1958-59
• 351 RUNS - TRIPURA - KOLKATA - 1986-87
• 348 RUNS - ASSAM - KOLKATA - 1993-94
• 306 RUNS - MADHYA PRADESH - INDORE - 2022-23*

Two more for Gowtham. Both Sheldon Jackson and Vishvaraj Jadeja leg before off balls that kept low. Getting interesting here at 40-4.

N SUDARSHAN

Pradipta takes his fifth to bundle out Madhya Pradesh on 241. And with this Bengal has thrashed the defending champions out of Ranji Trophy 2022-23 to make it into the finals in some style. Gaurav Yadav c Abishek Porel b Pramanik 0 (7b 0x4 0x6)

MP 241 & 170 vs BEN 438 & 279; BENGAL WINS BY 306 RUNS

Anubhav Agarwal is entertaining his side which is down and out with his clean shots, smacking four sixes off Karan Lal’s over. He uses his feet to negate the spin and hit 24 runs in the over.

Karnataka is not going down without a fight. Now it has got the big one. Sheldon Jackson is trapped in front by Gowtham.

Saurashtra 35-3 in 13.4 overs vs Karnataka

Fourth wicket for Pradipta Pramanik as he takes the scalp of Kumar Kartikeya. MP nine down. Kumar Kartikeya c Akash Deep b Pramanik 6 (8b 1x4 0x6 )

MP 217/9 IN 37.4 OVERS & 170 VS BEN 279 & 438

Two early wickets for Karnataka seems to have excited them. Backed by a noisy crowd, the host is pressuring the Saurashtra batters. Quite a lot of appealing as well. Interesting phase but still match heavily in favour of Saurashtra

Wickets are tumbling for MP at the moment as Avesh Khan goes for a golden duck. Pradipta Pramanik bowls a slower delivery, gives flight in the air and Avesh tries to slog it over mid-wicket but misses the angle as the ball crashes into the stumps. Avesh Khan b Pramanik 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)

MP 204/8 IN 35.5 OVERS & 170 VS BEN 279 & 438

Madhya Pradesh is falling like a pack of cards as captain Aditya Shrivastava walks off after getting run out by Karan Lal. Aditya Shrivastava run out (Karan Lal) 29 (30b 4x4 0x6 )

MP 204/7 IN 35.4 OVERS & 170 VS BEN 279 & 438

Harvik Desai has to walk back after edging a Koushik outswinger to Mayank Agarwal in second slip.

Karnataka players are egging on the fans who have come out to support their team. They feel there is a chance to make an improbable comeback here and in walks first-innings centurion Sheldon Jackson.

Harvik Desai c Agarwal b Koushik 11 (30b 2x4 0x6)

One more wicket! Mukesh is on fire right now! He clean bowled Saransh Jain who could not do much against an unplayable inswinging ball. MP six down as Bengal is sniffing a big win here. Saransh Jain b Mukesh Kumar 12 (9b 0x4 1x6 )

MP 201/6 IN 34.5 OVERS & 170 VS BEN 279 & 438

Mukesh Kumar gets the big fish! He removes MP’s only hope Rajat Patidar on 52. It is as good as done for the hosts now as Saransh Jain, who came in at number seven along with Aditya Shrivastava is the last recognised batting pair for them. Rajat Patidar c Pramanik b Mukesh Kumar 52 (58b 2x4 4x6)

MP 179/5 IN 32.2 OVERS & 170 VS BEN 279 & 438

Koushik removes Snell Patel straight after Lunch. Skipper Mayank Agarwal completes the catch.

Is that a glimmer of hope for Karnataka?

Saurashtra 5-1 in three overs vs Karnataka

Madhya Pradesh is hanging on a thin wire as Rajat Patidar and Aditya Shrivastava led the hosts past 150 runs. MP still needs 384 runs in the last two sessions if it wants to overhaul Bengal and chase the mammoth target. Time for the lunch break.

MP 164/4 IN 30 OVERS & 170 VS BEN 279 & 438

Harvik Desai and Snell Patel see off the two overs before lunch, taking just one runs.

Saurashtra needs 114 runs to secure a famous win and has two more sessions to do it.

Patidar is a lone MP batter who is putting up a fight against Bengal’s attack. As MP passes 150 runs, he is joined by captain Aditya Shrivastava.

MP 158/4 IN 28 OVERS & 170 VS BEN 279 & 438

Nikin Jose the last man out. Tries to heave Dharmendrasinh Jadeja on the leg side but is bowled. Saurashtra needs 115 to win.

Nikin Jose is running out of accomplices. Kaverappa is the next to depart as Parth Bhut gets him out, with Sakariya completing the catch.

Karnataka 234-9 in 57.2 overs vs Saurashtra

Venkatesh Iyer falls for 19 while attempting a reverse sweep against Pradipta Pramanik but the ball went through the gates to crash into stumps. MP four down now. Venkatesh Iyer b Pramanik 19 (23b 1x4 1x6 ) SR

MP 125/4 IN 23.4 OVERS & 170 VS BEN 279 & 438

Jadeja strikes again. He fires one in and Vyshak couldn’t react as the ball clips the bails on the way.

Two more wickets needed for Saurashtra to wrap things up.

Vijaykumar Vyshak b DA Jadeja 20 (49b 1x4 0x6)

A maiden First Class century for Nikin Jose, in his first Ranji Trophy season.

In what was a stroke full innings, he was reprieved thrice. But he has capitalised and has come up with a fine effort.

During the innings he also went past the 500-run mark for the campaign. Karnataka still on the ropes, but credit is due for not throwing in the towel.

The lead is just over 100 and there are two more sessions to go.

Madhya Pradesh reaches 100 runs in the 20th over. Its best batters in these situations - Rajat Patidar and Venkatesh Iyer - are in the middle, and MP will continue to rely on them.

MP 105/3 IN 20 OVERS & 170 VS BEN 279 & 438

Wicket! Shubham Sharma is castled by Pradipta Pramanik. Meanwhile, Patidar greets the spinner with a sweep to the midwicket boundary. MP 82/3 and in walks Venkatesh Iyer to huge cheers from the crowd.

Chasing 548 on the last day, it is all but over for the hosts, however, the batters are still showing positive intent as MP crosses the 50-run mark in the ninth over.

Krishnappa Gowtham has come in with intent, smashing a couple of sixes to provide momentum to Karnataka’s innings.

He eventually falls going for another maximum, with Sakariya completing an easy catch in the deep, giving Parth Bhut another scalp.

Karnataka 171-7 in 39 overs vs Saurashtra

Himanshu Mantri departs after scoring 21-ball 16. He shows urgency by attempting to drive the ball, which takes an edge and is caught by Manoj Tiwary neatly at slips. Shahbaz strikes first, while MP is on its knees chasing the massive 548. Shubham Sharma comes in at number three. Himanshu Mantri c Tiwary b Shahbaz Ahmed 16 (21b)

MP 33/1 IN 5.5 OVERS & 170 VS BEN 279 & 438

Sharath fails to read a straight one from Jadeja and is caught in front.

Saurashtra can smell an outright win here.

Srinivas Sharath lbw b DA Jadeja 2 (10b 0x4 0x6 )

Saurashtra, out to put the finishing touches, starts well. Sakariya completely bamboozles Shreyas Gopal and the batter is squared up and bowled. The lead is slender and this match is heading for an early finish on day five.

Shreyas Gopal and Nikin Jose begin the final day for Karnataka against Saurashtra.

The home side needs to score quickly if it wants to make it to the final. Its hopes will rest mostly on the young shoulders of Jose, who was at his elegant best yesterday.

Saurashtra will be hoping to bank on its experience to see off the final day in this semifinal.

Avesh Khan wraps the Bengal innings in just four balls. He bowls a fuller-length delivery, trapping Ishan Porel in front of the wicket for lbw. Bengal ends its second innings on 279 runs which means Madhya Pradesh has a target of 548 runs to chase in barely 88 overs left in the game if it wants to reach the final. Ishan Porel lbw b Avesh Khan 1 (26b 0x4 0x6)

BEN 279 VS MP 170 & BEN 438; MP NEEDS 548 RUNS TO WIN

Madhya Pradesh found itself buried under a mountain of runs, courtesy of Pradipta Pramanik’s (60 batting, 101b, 3x4, 5x6) blistering rearguard and Anustup Majumdar’s (80, 219b, 7x4) resolute knock, as Bengal extended its lead to a mammoth 547 on the penultimate day of the Ranji Trophy semifinal at the Holkar Cricket Stadium here on Saturday.

It was already a case of too little too late for Madhya Pradesh when Saransh Jain (six for 103) dented the lower-order and gave the sprinkling of home fans something to cheer about.

Arpit Vasavada all but batted Karnataka out of the Ranji Trophy semifinal at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Saturday.

The skipper, who had played the rescue act on day three with Sheldon Jackson, gave his innings a match-winning halo on day four. The 34-year-old’s second First Class double-ton (202, 406b, 21x4, 1x6) helped Saurashtra take a first-innings lead of 120 after being 43 runs shy at the day’s start.

• BENGAL 279/9 & 438 VS MADHYA PRADESH 170; BENGAL LEADS BY 547 RUNS
• KARNATAKA 123/4 & 407 VS SAURASHTRA 527; KARNATAKA LEADS BY 3 RUNS

When to watch Ranji Trophy 2022/23?

Ranji Trophy semifinals will start from Wednesday, February 8 from 9:30 AM IST.

Where to watch Ranji Trophy 2022/23 on TV?

A select number of tournament matches are being telecast on Star Sports 2 and Star Sports 2 HD. The telecast also provides updates and scores from all matches at regular intervals.

Where to live stream Ranji Trophy 2022/23?

The streaming of the Ranji Trophy matches will be available on Disney+ Hotstar app.