Rajkot: Skipper Jaydev Unadkat (2/67) produced a lion-hearted spell when it mattered the most and paved the way for Saurashtra’s maiden Ranji Trophy title triumph here Friday. The left-arm fast bowler got the crucial wicket of Anustup Majumdar (63) as Bengal conceded first innings lead to the hosts. In reply to Saurashtra’s 425 in the first innings, Bengal were bowled out for 381 conceding the first innings lead of 44 runs. With Friday being the last day of the match Saurashtra have already laid their hands on the Ranji Trophy as the game will now be decided on first innings.
Bengal had the upper hand going into day five after Majumdar and Arnab Nandi (40 not out) shared an unbeaten 91-run stand in the final session Thursday.
But Unadkat, who had single-handily taken Saurashtra into the final with a seven-wicket haul against Gujarat on the final day of their semifinal, rose to the occasion yet again to put his team on the cusp of a historic victory.
The left-arm pacer had Majumdar leg before wicket and got Akash Deep run out in a space of three balls to turn the game on its head.
Seventy minutes of play in the decisive morning session yielded 27 runs as Bengal once more failed to clinch the title even though they came close.
Unadkat, who opened the bowling alongside Chetan Sakariya on day five, was a tad defensive with the field placement early on, considering the team conceded easy runs to Bengal on day four.
The onus was on the Saurashtra skipper to deliver again. Prior to his spell Friday Unadkat had bowled 32 overs before that match-winning over without getting a wicket despite giving his all.
Majumdar and Nandi, who resumed the day on 58 and 28, were expected to get the 72 runs for the all-important first innings but Unadkat changed it all in one over.
The left-arm pacer, who is known more for his IPL riches than his performances for the state team, ended the 98-run stand between Majumdar and Nandi by trapping the former in front of the stumps as he brought the ball back in sharply. Two balls after sending back a dejected Majumdar, Unadkat was alert enough on the field to make Akash Deep pay for ignoring the basics.
Having played and missed, Akash Deep was found standing marginally outside the crease. The wicket-keeper was quick to observe that and went for the direct hit but missed, only for the bowler to collect the ball and disturb the timber, giving Saurashtra their second wicket in three balls.
Five overs later, spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja (3/114) had Mukesh Kumar caught at short-leg after taking a successful DRS call, bringing Saurashtra just one wicket away from creating history.
With Bengal 55 runs behind, Nandi tried his best and went for his strokes but in the end, his team fell agonisingly short. Fittingly, Unadkat took the last wicket of Bengal’s innings by dismissing No. 11 batsman Ishan Porel. It took Unadkat’s tally of wickets in the season to 67.
Saurashtra 425 and 55 for 1; Bengal 381 (Anustup Majumdar 63, Arnab Nandi 40 n o, Jaydev Unadkat 2/67, DA Jadeja 3/114).
Agencies