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A round-up of the Group A matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy matches held on February 28, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Feb-2017An unbeaten 206-run partnership between opener Anurag Sarangi (104*) and Govinda Poddar (100*) took Odisha to a nine-wicket win against Assam at Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla. The win – Odisha’s first of the tournament – was orchestrated by fast bowler Basant Mohanty, whose five wickets in the first innings helped bowl Assam out for 207, before their batsmen chased down the target with ease.Mohanty, who returned career-best List A figures of 5 for 26, was assisted by Deepak Behera’s three wickets to trouble Assam’s batsmen from the start. While captain Arun Karthik’s 73-ball 56 and Jamaluddin Syed Mohammad’s 78-ball 53 took Assam near the 200-run mark, regular wickets at the start, and towards the end meant Assam managed to set Odisha a target of 208. Six Assam batsmen finished with single-digit scores.After Sandeep Pattnaik fell early in Odisha’s innings, Sarangi and Poddar struck 206 runs in 188 balls in an unbeaten stand to remove any hope of an Assam victory. The duo hit 24 fours and four sixes to take Odisha to a with more than 14 overs to spare.Baroda’s bowlers, led by Hardik Pandya (3-26) and Soaeb Tai (3-36), skittled Punjab out for 174 runs to complete a 75-run victory at Delhi’s Karnail Stadium. Punjab crumbled from a position of strength at 125 for 2 – courtesy Gurkeerat Singh’s 62 and Mandeep Singh’s 43 – to being all out 49 runs later, thereby taking Baroda to the top of the group.After fifties from Krunal Pandya (78) and Aditya Waghmode (54) at the top of Baroda’s innings gave them a strong start, four wickets from Baltej Singh and another three from Siddarth Kaul meant Baroda folded for 249 runs. From 193 for 4 in the 43rd over, Baroda managed to add only 56 runs for their last six wickets.Gurkeerat and Singh gave Punjab’s chase the stability it needed at the top, but regular wickets from Hardik, Tai and Atit Sheth (2-24) meant Baroda managed to skittle their opponents out thereafter without much trouble.Half centuries from openers Faiz Fazal (53) and Jitesh Sharma (84) helped Vidarbha easily chase down the 200 target set by Railways to win by eight wickets at Delhi’s Palam A Ground. The duo’s first-wicket stand yielded 117 runs before Ganesh Satish (36*) and Ambati Rayudu (19*) took Vidarbha home with 28 deliveries to spare. This after Railways managed to post 199 courtesy Manjeet Singh’s innings of 54 off 30 deliveries after he came in to bat at No. 10.Akshay Karnewar (3-32) and Ravikumar Thakur (2-47) ran through Railways’ top order while run outs inflicted by YS Thakur and Rajneesh Gurbani meant Railways were struggling at 134 for 9. Manjeet came to the rescue striking three fours and five sixes to help his team post a competitive total their bowlers could look to defend.But the target of 200 was never enough as Fazal’s patient 95-ball 53 and Jitesh’s 114-ball 84 gave Vidarbha the start their other batsmen could carry on from. And carry on they did as Satish and Rayudu saw their team through without any other casualties. The win saw Vidarbha move to second spot, tied on eight points with group leaders Baroda.

A round-up of the two quarter-finals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy played on March 12, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Mar-2017Krunal Pandya’s all-round performance – a three-for coupled with a half-century – set up an emphatic seven-wicket victory for Baroda against Karnataka in the first quarter-final at the Feroz Shah Kotla.Chasing 234, Pandya struck a 79-ball 70 after Baroda’s Kedar Devdhar and Aditya Waghmode replicated Karnataka’s opening stand of 64 runs. Waghmode’s dismissal in the 15th over preceded a solid 92-run partnership between Devdhar and Pandya for the second wicket, that took their side to 156 within 33 overs. While Devdhar struck six fours and two sixes in his 98-ball 78, Pandya’s knock – studded with five fours and a six – guided Baroda past 200 and took him among the top five run-scorers in the tournament, with 336 runs from seven matches. Pandya had put on 47 for the third wicket with Deepak Hooda, who made a brisk 34* to overhaul the target, alongside Yusuf Pathan (10*) – with 25 balls to spare.Earlier, Baroda’s decision to field was vindicated by Pandya’s returns of 3 for 32, as his left-arm orthodox undid Ravikumar Samarth (44), before accounting for J Suchith and Aniruddha Joshi, who fell for 18 each. Despite four of their top five batsmen – including Robin Uthappa (24) and Mayank Agarwal (40) – scoring over 20, Karnataka only managed 233 in 48.5 overs, as three run-outs and a middle-overs stutter were followed by them losing their last four wickets for 18 runs. Pavan Deshpande top-scored with 54, but his run-out in the 35th over meant the remaining six partnerships could only add another 63 runs before they were bowled out.A combined bowling effort and a score of 85 from opener GS Raju steered Tamil Nadu in the semi-finals with a five-wicket win over Gujarat in Delhi. Once Gujarat were bowled out for 211, TN reached their target with 46 balls to spare.Gujarat could not capitalise on their decision to bat as left-arm spinner Rahil Shah removed two of the top three batsmen even though Samit Gohel fought with a patient 39 till the 21st over. Two quick wickets from Vijay Shankar, trapping Het Patel and Chirag Gandhi lbw, meant Gujarat slipped to 110 for 5 with over 20 overs left. No. 4 Rujul Bhatt, however, resisted with a brisk half-century and chaperoned the tail to ensure Gujarat batted till the last over. His unbeaten 83 off 98 balls, with five fours and two sixes, survived spells from RS Kishore (2 for 35) and Shah (2 for 34) as Shankar ended with 3 for 48 from his 10 overs, his best List A figures.TN’s chase was led by Raju who stitched partnerships of 62, 63 and 42 for the top three stands with Kaushik Gandhi (18), B Aparajith (34) and Dinesh Karthik (21). Once Raju fell for a 95-ball 85 in the 32nd over, TN were only 45 away and sealed the win in the 43rd over, although after losing two more wickets.

A maiden List A century by Roelof van der Merwe enabled Somerset to pull off an incredible four-wicket win over Surrey

ECB Reporters Network28-Apr-2017
ScorecardRoelof van der Merwe produced an astonishing hundred to rescue Somerset from 22 for 5•Getty Images

A maiden List A century by Roelof van der Merwe enabled Somerset to pull off an incredible four-wicket win over Surrey in the Royal London One-Day Cup South Group match at Taunton with more than six overs to spare.Surrey were restricted to 290 for 8 from their 50 overs, Ben Foakes top-scoring with 92. In reply Somerset crashed to 22 for 5 and looked out of it before van der Merwe and Dean Elgar came together to lay the foundation for victory with a sixth-wicket stand of 213. Elgar fell for 68 but Somerset eventually won with 37 balls remaining, after one of the most dramatic turnarounds imaginable in a one-day contest.”It was great for the team and fabulous to have been part of that partnership and great to get the team home,” van der Merwe said. “At 22 for 5 we were basically dead and buried and you had that freedom just to go out there and bat and suddenly we needed a run a ball with not too many left so we could just bat and keep the ball on the floor.”We did put the Surrey fielders under pressure and it was tough for them to pick it up. There were also a few throws that went awry and we took a few extra singles and kept up that intensity.”When I walked out to bat I thought that we would be home by 4pm, so it was just one of those where you got in and it was hard to get out on that wicket. I don’t think that I have ever played better, especially at Somerset on my home ground so it was awesome.”The Somerset innings was floundering in the seventh over, with the top order back in the changing rooms. Jade Dernbach claimed three early wickets and Sam Curran two as Steven Davies, Peter Trego, Jim Allenby, James Hildreth and Adam Hose departed in rapid succession.Elgar, who was dropped early in his innings, and van der Merwe came together and gradually started the recovery. The pair kept up with the run rate and saw up the 100 in the 19th over. In the next Elgar hit the first six of the innings off Gareth Batty, which brought a loud cheer from the home crowd.Two balls later Van der Merwe reached his fifty with two off the back foot, his runs coming off 44 balls with six fours, shortly after which Elgar followed, his runs coming off 62 balls with three fours and a six.Van der Merwe went to his century with a drive to the square cover boundary off Tom Curran, having faced 77 balls and hit 15 fours. The partnership was worth 213 in 30 overs, a new Somerset record in List A cricket to bring the hosts right back into the game, when Elgar was bowled by Scott Borthwick for 68.Van der Merwe was joined by Lewis Gregory and the pair stayed in the middle to see Somerset home, the Netherlands allrounder ending unbeaten on 165 off 122 balls with 24 fours and a six. It was one of the truly great one-day innings.Surrey were indebted to a career-best 92 from Ben Foakes and a half-century from Mark Stoneman in setting Somerset 291. Stoneman, on his Surrey List A debut, looked in great form after the visitors had been put in and along with Dominic Sibley brought up the 50 in the 11th over. But soon after going to his half-century off 49 balls with six fours he was caught at fine leg hooking at Gregory.Kumar Sangakkara kept the total moving as Surrey passed 100. Sibley had moved onto 37 when he went down the wicket and was caught by wicketkeeper Steve Davies for 37, Gregory again the successful bowler. Josh Davey then changed ends and immediately had Rory Burns sharply caught at short midwicket by Jim Allenby for 15, and then Sangakkara taken by the keeper two overs later for 32.Foakes looked in great form and saw up the Surrey 200 with a single off Craig Overton, but two balls later the bowler accounted for Borthwick, caught at midwicket for 19.Foakes went to half-century with a straight drive and while he was at the wicket Surrey looked to be heading for a big total. The Somerset bowlers had other ideas as both Sam and Tom Curran went cheaply.Foakes had moved onto 92, off 65 balls, with 11 fours, when he was caught at deep midwicket before Surrey ended on 290 for 8. Overton ended with 3 for 57, Gregory 3 for 71 and Davey 2 for 45.

An ankle and calf injury set aside, Joe Root put together a masterful unbeaten career-best 133 to power England to an eight-wicket win in their opening Champions Trophy match over Bangladesh

The Report by Mohammad Isam01-Jun-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:31

Fleming: Bangladesh had a very light bowling attack

An ankle and calf injury set aside, Joe Root put together a masterful unbeaten career-best 133 to power England to an eight-wicket win in their opening Champions Trophy match over Bangladesh, who would rue two major mistakes: not scoring enough in the last five overs and picking one less bowler.Two big partnerships supported England’s successful 306-run chase. Root’s 129-ball innings included 11 fours and a six, with Eoin Morgan by his side; the captain was not out on a 61-ball 75 that had eight fours and two sixes. The pair were responsible for the 143-run unbroken third-wicket stand after Alex Hales and Root added 159 for the second wicket.After Tamim Iqbal’s splendid 128 gave them a fair chance of an opening day win, Bangladesh missed out on a few more runs after Tamim and Mushfiqur Rahim fell off consecutive deliveries in the 45th over, having added 166 for the third wicket. They were timing the ball really well but those who followed could only add 44 in the last 5.2 overs.More importantly, Bangladesh went to work without an extra specialist bowler. The captain Mashrafe Mortaza had to rotate carefully between himself, Mustafizur Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan and Rubel Hossain, and also give enough overs to Mosaddek Hossain, who is at best a part-timer at this level. It didn’t work out too well for them.England’s chase began with a wobble as the out-of-touch Jason Roy scooped one towards short fine-leg where Mustafizur dived to take a stunning one-handed grab. But Mashrafe never quite looked comfortable rotating his bowlers as he had to always keep using a part-timer.And just like Tamim and co used the absence of Chris Woakes, so did Hales, Root and Morgan. First, it was the Hales-Root second wicket partnership that set England on the right course.Hales punished anything Bangladesh pitched short or too full, carving boundaries in his exclusive manner. He struck five boundaries in the arc between backward point and extra cover, apart from the straight sixes and the pushed fours through midwicket four times.Hales and Root, who hurt his ankle while trying to pull the ball in the 26th over, batted sensibly apart from the odd hack through the leg side. Hales, though, missed out on a century when he got greedy against part-timer Sabbir Rahman; a four and a six were hit, but then his slog sweep found the substitute Sunzamul Islam at deep midwicket.Root though, hardly missed a beat as he forged another quick partnership with Morgan for the third wicket. He struck three fours through the covers and twice through midwicket, and one slipped past the wicketkeeper.With Morgan picking up the pace of the innings, it was only a matter of time that Mashrafe tried to attack with his lop-sided bowling line-up. It was ultimately Mashrafe himself who created the chance in the 36th over but Tamim’s diving effort at long-on from Morgan’s lofted drive was given not out, first in a soft signal by on-field umpire S Ravi, and then followed up by the third umpire Bruce Oxenford.Root reached his 10th ODI hundred by running two in his hobbling state. He scampered whenever Morgan had pushed him, never complaining as he bashed around more boundaries in the last 10 overs.Bangladesh too banked on a big partnership: the Tamim-Mushfiqur third-wicket stand that yielded 166. The pair have often collaborated together when the chips are down but this time Mushfiqur walked in after Tamim had laid a solid foundation by the 20th over. Soumya Sarkar and Imrul Kayes had fallen just after getting set at the crease.Tamim batted resolutely in the face of Mark Wood’s bouncer barrage, but his approach factored in Woakes walking off with a left side strain after bowling just two overs. He laid into Liam Plunkett and teed off every time Moeen Ali floated one up to him. Tamim struck two superb straight drives, and the moment he got the hang of the shorter length, started pulling the ball quite well.Two of his three sixes were off Moeen, hit over the offspinner’s head while he also swung Wood over long-leg for the third six. Tamim was also delicate with deliveries angled to his body, working them fine either side of the wicketkeepers. He wasn’t fed too many full balls so there weren’t any cover driven boundaries in his innings.Mushfiqur’s 79 came off 72 balls, at a time when Tamim needed the batsman at the other end to push hard. He was severe on Jake Ball, hitting him for five of his eight boundaries. He was quick on his feet and until he over-hit Plunkett to long-on, Mushfiqur looked good for a century.In a game of small margins and with England playing without Adil Rashid, Plunkett’s last two overs that went for just seven runs, made a big difference as Bangladesh couldn’t find too many boundaries in the last five overs.That final push from Plunkett was complemented by the batsmen who chased down the 300-plus total with much ease. It would serve as a warning for the rest of the tournament, that England can and will keep stepping on the gas regardless of their situation.

Chinese mobile handset manufacturer Vivo has retained the Indian Premier League title sponsorship rights for the next five seasons, with a winning bid of INR 2199 crores

Arun Venugopal27-Jun-20174:08

Making sense of Vivo’s record bid: Vivo pays more for IPL than what Barclays did for EPL

Chinese mobile handset manufacturer Vivo has retained the Indian Premier League title sponsorship rights for the next five seasons (2018-2022) with a winning bid of INR 2199 crores (approximately US $341 million), a jump of 454% over the five-year contract signed in 2012.Vivo first bagged the title sponsorship in October 2015 for two editions from PepsiCo India, who had ended its five-year contract, worth INR 396 crore, two years ahead of schedule. Vivo’s previous arrangement, according to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri, saw them pay “a shade less” than INR 100 crore per year.The base price for this cycle of title rights was set at 15% more than what Vivo paid last year and the company edged out the only other bid of INR 1430 crore from Oppo, another smartphone manufacturer. Incidentally, Oppo had trumped Vivo for the sponsorship rights of the India team in March, with the two companies being the only bidders again.The bids were opened on Tuesday in Mumbai, in the presence of both parties along with IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla and BCCI’s acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary.
“When an existing sponsor renews [the contract] and puts in a number like this, then it’s a real testimony to the value of this property [IPL],” Johri told ESPNcricinfo. “There are two things: firstly, the preeminence of the IPL as one of the finest global sports properties [is established]. It is unparalleled. If you saw this year’s IPL numbers, they were the highest ever. It is a property which continues to grow year after year, and that’s what we are seeing .”Secondly, Vivo, which was already a sponsor for the last two years, putting in this number, that really shows that they are fully aware of the value of this commitment.”Vivo first entered the fray after PepsiCo’s exit in 2015 (INR 1cr = USD 150,000)•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Two other companies – Xiaomi and Intex – had picked up the tender document but did not go through with the bid. When asked about the trend of three of the four interested parties being Chinese mobile handset manufacturers, Johri said Oppo and Vivo had adequate exposure to cricket sponsorships.”You have to understand that both these companies have been involved in cricket sponsorships,” he said. “Oppo is one of the sponsors of the ICC, so they have cricket exposure. And, Vivo is an existing IPL sponsor, so they are continuing their investment into cricket, so that shows the importance of cricket, especially Indian cricket. It’s not the first time they are doing it, they understand the value.”Working with existing sponsors that have cricket exposure, Johri felt, was a positive for the Indian board. “BCCI is a cricket establishment and people who have cricket exposure are there,” he said. “Plus, you see, the ticket price of these sponsorships are so high that you will always have a handful of people. You wouldn’t have a 100 people signing up for this, so the really serious guys [are the ones that will come forward].”

In his letter to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri, Lalit Modi wrote of his decision to resign as president of the Nagaur District Association and urged the national board to release the funds due to the RCA

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Aug-2017Lalit Modi, the former IPL commissioner, has announced his decision to quit all cricket administration “for now”, and has stepped aside from the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) by resigning as president of the Nagaur District Association.In his letter to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri, Modi wrote that the system was bigger than the individual and requested the board to release the funds due to the RCA. Modi, 53, was expelled from the BCCI in 2013 and has been in exile owing to money laundering charges by the Enforcement Directorate of India.The RCA, on the other hand, has remained suspended by the BCCI since the election of Modi as the state body’s president in 2014. The board had warned that the RCA’s suspension would continue until Modi was removed from the post and also from the primary bodies of the state association. The suspension meant that RCA could no longer access BCCI’s funds. Cricket in the state suffered subsequently, with an ad-hoc committee of the BCCI running the show.However, while Modi continued to head the Nagaur District Association, his son, Ruchir Modi, contested and lost the elections for the RCA’s presidency to veteran politician CP Joshi. Eventually, Modi decided that it was time to move on and posted a copy of his letter on Twitter, late on August 11.”As I hand over the baton, I want to thank everyone in my team over the past two decades at Rajasthan and the BCCI,” Modi wrote in his letter to Johri. “We had some great times sculpting and putting together the future of Indian cricket. Now that the future is here, let’s hope BCCI and RCA set higher goals. But for Rajasthan to aim higher, we need funds from the BCCI which is our rightful share.”I have done my part for the betterment of Rajasthan cricket, and now it is your turn to honor your part of the promise. I repose my faith in you and the BCCI to do the right thing. I would, therefore, request you to release the funds due to RCA as soon as possible. I believe it was blocked precisely because of my presence. With my exit from all forms of cricket, at all levels, for ever, I think RCA deserves to reclaim their share and presence on the Indian cricket map. I hope the BCCI under your stewardship lives up to that promise.”Ahead of the 2017-18 domestic season, Modi’s exit has offered a glimmer of hope to the RCA, which seeks a return to the mainstream. While a BCCI official agreed that “it paves the way for it”, he said that there was a process in place that needed to be adhered to. “First, all the things for the revocation of suspension are to be done,” he told ESPNcricinfo.

Tom Curran is in line for a maiden ODI cap, after his impressive T20 debut earlier this year, while Chris Woakes is fit to return after missing most of the Champions Trophy with injury

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Sep-2017Tom Curran is in line for a maiden ODI cap, after his impressive T20 debut earlier this year, while Chris Woakes is fit to return after missing most of the Champions Trophy with injury but there was no room for Mark Wood in England’s limited-overs squads to take on West Indies this month.

England T20 squad

Eoin Morgan (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey

Wood was a member of the side that reached the Champions Trophy semi-finals, where England lost to eventual winners Pakistan, but has not played since suffering a heel injury during the Test series with South Africa.Sam Billings and Steven Finn, who replaced Woakes after he suffered a side strain in the opening match of the tournament, are the other members of the Champions Trophy squad to miss out for five ODIs against West Indies. Billings has been a regular in limited-overs squads over the last two years but has also dropped out of T20 contention – perhaps in part due to Dawid Malan’s performance on debut against South Africa in June.Malan was Man of the Match after scoring 78 in Cardiff as England won the series, during which Curran took five wickets at 11.00 and impressed with his pace and variations. Both are included for the one-off T20 against West Indies at Durham on September 16, but there was no room for Mason Crane or Liam Livingstone, who made their debuts in the same series.

England ODI squad

Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes

Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali have also been rested from the 14-man T20 squad. That means Stokes will miss the opportunity to play for England on his home ground for the second year running, having missed last year’s Sri Lanka Test at Chester-le-Street through injury.The selection otherwise continues England’s greater commitment to fielding full-strength teams in limited-overs series, but does mean that Joe Root, the Test captain who is named in both squads, will not have any opportunity for rest ahead of the winter’s Ashes commitments.Curran was previously called up for England’s one-day squad in the Caribbean in March but did not play in the three-match series against West Indies.Despite their ODI success over recent times, England may have a decision to make at the top of the order. Jason Roy was dropped during the Champions Trophy, having scored 51 runs in eight innings, with Jonny Bairstow taking his place at opener for the semi-final, though Roy has subsequently rediscovered some form with Surrey.

The Cricket NSW CEO had taken exception to CA’s decision to award Victoria victory in a JLT One-Day Cup match at the North Sydney Oval that was abandoned due to an unsafe pitch

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Oct-2017Andrew Jones, the Cricket NSW CEO, has been sanctioned in relation to a tweet he sent out following the JLT One-Day Cup match between New South Wales and Victoria on October 15. The proposed sanction – a reprimand and fine of AU $3,000 – is fully suspended, subject to Jones not being found guilty of any further breach of Cricket Australia’s Code of Conduct for the next two years.The match was abandoned due to the pitch at the North Sydney Oval being deemed unsafe, when Victoria were 108 for 4 in 26 overs while chasing 145. By virtue of being 35 runs ahead of the DLS par score, Victoria were awarded the win and a bonus point that took them into the tournament playoffs.Jones took exception to the decision to award Victoria the win, in a series of tweets. “It should be a No Result,” one of them read. “Conditions didn’t change all game so if it was dangerous for one side it was dangerous for the other.”He followed that up with: ” So pitch was safe when @CricketNSWBlues batted? Makes no sense. All officials involved should be fired immediately.”Jones was reported for breaching article level 2.2.3 – Public or media comment that is detrimental to the interests of cricket, irrespective of when or where such comment is made – of the CA code of conduct. He has admitted to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, with no hearing required.

Patidar ton puts Madhya Pradesh in a strong position for an outright win and a knockouts berth, Tamil Nadu make slow progress against Baroda

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Nov-2017Centuries from opener Jay Bista and Siddhesh Lad put Mumbai on top against Tripura at Wankhede Stadium. The hosts finished the day on 421 for 8, with both batsmen, who added 146 for the fifth wicket, making 123 each. By stumps, Mumbai were ahead of 226 with two wickets in hand. The 42-time champions are chasing an outright win to book a quarter-final berth.Mumbai were in early trouble when Karsh Kothari was out first ball to Manisankar Murasingh (3-49). Bista and Lad then rebuilt Mumbai’s innings, hitting 33 fours and two sixes in their 181-ball partnership. Bista scored at a strike-rate of over 90 before falling to Murasingh in the 53rd over, Lad and Aditya Tare (67) then added a further 97 for the sixth wicket before the centurion perished for 123. Dhawal Kulkarni then smashed 50 off 60 balls, with five fours and two sixes, to end the day with Mumbai’s score past 400.Openers Rajat Patidar’s hundred, and half centuries from Devendra Bundela (62) and Puneet Datey (56), helped boost Madhya Pradesh’s chances of securing a knockouts berth. They were ahead by 241 against Orissa in Indore after each team batted out once. By stumps, the Odisha openers had cut that lead down by 18, but the hosts were still ahead by 223 with two days to go. Odisha’sGovinda Poddar finished with career-best figures of 7 for 102.Patidar’s 123 was his fifth first-class ton, and together with the captain Bundela added 114 for the second wicket. By then, MP had overhauled Odisha’s first-innings score of 147 and extended their lead. Deepak Behera then chipped in with two more wickets but the day with the ball belonged to offspinner Poddar, whose seven wickets in 27 overs ensured MP’s lead wasn’t bigger than what it was.In Vadodara, Tamil Nadu‘s middle order rallied together with half-centuries from twin brothers B Indrajith (58) and B Aparajith (59*) to bring the visitors nearer to Baroda‘s first innings total of 309. Earlier in the day, it was Swapnil Singh’s 144 that ensured Baroda could go past 300. At stumps, TN were at 226 for 5, still behind by 83.Baroda started the day on 254 for 8, with Swapnil on 94. He batted well with the tail, adding a further 50 of Baroda’s 55 runs on the day, before being dismissed as Baroda’s last wicket by Yo Mahesh.TN did not start their innings well, with openers Abhinav Mukund and Narayan Jagadeesan out for single digits. Kaushik Gandhi then added 34 after which Aparajith joined Indrajith in the middle. Together the brothers added 74 for the fourth wicket, before Indrajith was dismissed for 58. J Kousik then scored an unbeaten 37, and gave Aparajith company as the two finished unbeaten at the end of play. In a game TN simply have to win, their slow scoring could potentially cost them time yet.

Queensland fell just seven runs short of their target of 297 with three wickets in hand to draw against Western Australia on the fourth day in Perth

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2017Getty Images

Queensland fell just seven runs short of their target of 297, with three wickets in hand, as their match against Western Australia ended in a thrilling draw on the fourth day in Perth. Going strong at 2 for 203 at one point on the back of Joe Burns’ century, Queensland needed 50 runs off 39 balls, and later 34 off 32. However, they suffered a collapse from 3 for 243 to 7 for 286 and needed 12 off the final over but Matthew Kelly – who took a five-for – conceded only five runs. Charlie Hemphrey led Queensland with 60 off 52 balls until they were 16 away from the target, but he fell with 10 balls left in the day.Queensland were dented early in the chase by Kelly, who had Matt Renshaw caught behind for 7 in the sixth over, before Burns and Labuschagne stitched a partnership of 154 at 4.69 runs per over to rally the score towards 200. Kelly trapped Labuschagne lbw for 72 in the 39th over and bowled Burns for 103 seven overs later when Queensland were 94 away from the target. Hemphrey steered them closer but Mitchell Marsh removed Jack Wildermuth and Queensland lost four wickets for 43 runs as Kelly struck twice more. Queensland’s chances decreased further once Hemphrey was caught off Marsh and they ended on 7 for 290 in 59 overs.As many as 431 runs were score on the day as Western Australia stretched their score from an overnight 5 for 165 to declare on 8 for 306 in just over 34 overs. They were in trouble early in the day when they lost three wickets for five runs and were 8 for 196 with a lead of 186. However, Ashton Turner took his score from 30 to an unbeaten 101 off 160 balls and was assisted by No. 11 Jason Behrendorff who struck a patient 39 off 83. They put together 110 unbeaten runs before the declaration. Josh Inglish, the other overnight batsman, had struck 54, before Wildermuth removed him and Andrew Holder in consecutive overs, and Kelly fell for a duck.Behrendorff was nursing a back injury and did not bowl on Sunday and Monday.