Saurabh’s all-round show puts ROI in firm control

RAJKOT: All-rounder Saurabh Kumar hit a strokeful fifty before returning to snap two wickets as Rest of India tightened the noose around Saurashtra on the second day of the Irani Cup here on Sunday.

Saurabh smashed 10 fours in his 78-ball 55 and added 71 runs with Jayant Yadav (37) for the seventh wicket to take ROI close to the 350-mark. It was Saurabh’s innings which helped ROI earn a solid 276-run first-innings lead over Saurashtra.

The 29-year-old returned to dismiss both the Saurashtra openers – Harvik Desai (20) and Snell Patel (16) – as ROI gained further ascendency in the match. At stumps, Chirag Jani (3 batting) and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja (8 batting) were at the crease with Saurashtra at 49 for two, still trailing by 227 runs with eight wickets in hand.

Earlier, left-arm fast bowler Chetan Sakariya gave Saurashtra a glimmer of hope with a five-wicket haul as his team dismissed ROI for 374. Sakariya (5/93) snapped four wickets to go with the one scalp he took on the opening day after Jani removed overnight batters Hanuma Vihari (82 off 184 balls, 11 fours, 1 six) and Sarfaraz (138 off 178 balls, 20 fours, 2 sixes) in the first session.

BRIEF SCORES: Saurashtra 98 & 49/2 in 17 overs vs Rest of India 374 in 110 overs (S Khan 138, H Vihari 82, S Kumar 55, C Sakariya 5/93)