Rest of India clinches Irani Cup

RAJKOT: Kuldeep Sen blew away the tail with scorching pace and steep bounce to finish with a match haul of eight wickets as Rest of India won its 29th Irani Cup with a walk-in-the-park eight-wicket victory over Saurashtra here on Tuesday.

Saurashtra gave a much better account of itself in the second innings, but a total of 380 meant ROI needed only 105 runs for the win with almost two days of play left. ROI knocked off the runs in about a session-and-a-half with opener Abhimanyu Easwaran remaining unbeaten on 63 (78 balls, 9 fours) while adding 81 for the unbroken third-wicket stand with wicketkeeper KS Bharat (27 not out).

In the morning, Kuldeep (5/94 off 19 overs) quickly wrapped up the Saurashtra second innings as he first bowled a fast and full delivery to trap Parth Bhut (7) plumb in front. Jaydev Unadkat, who played a captain’s knock of 89 (133 balls, 10 fours, 2 sixes) to carry the fight till the fourth morning, was finally dismissed when Kuldeep banged one short and the extra bounce saw the batter slash hard only to see the edge carry to Bharat.

ROI’s Bengal pacer Mukesh Kumar deservingly bagged the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his mesmerising first morning spell, during which he got four top-order wickets. “There was some assistance early on and we tried to bowl it (Saurashtra) out as quickly as possible. I focus on my line and length,” Mukesh said. His skipper Hanuma Vihari was all praise for the in-form Sarfaraz Khan, who struck a brilliant hundred on the opening day.

BRIEF SCORES: Saurashtra 98 & 380 in 103 overs (J Unadkat 89, P Mankad 72, S Jackson 71, A Vasavada 55, Kuldeep 5/94, Saurabh 3/80) lost to Rest of India 374 & 105/2 in 31.2 overs (A Easwaran 63*)