Ranji Trophy QF: Uttarakhand clinch big win, J&K on course
A batting collapse on either side of an 86-run stand between skipper Virat Singh (55) and Kumar Kushagra (34) saw Jharkhand slump to an innings and six-run loss at the hands of Uttarakhand. The duo came together at 14/2, but once Jharkhand reached a 100, the both set batters fell on the same score and the middle and lower order combined could only muster 30 more. Mayank Mishra (5/22) and Abhay Negi (4/36) starred with the ball, after the Uttarakhand had secured a 136-run first-innings lead earlier in the day.
Sudip Kumar Gharami batted the entirety of Day 3 to convert his hundred into an unbeaten double, and propel Bengal to a 123-run lead by stumps against Andhra in Kalyani. Sumanta Gupta, the overnight unbeaten batter, missed out on his century by 19 in the only wicket Andhra secured. Once the 165-run stand was broken, Gharami then found company in Habib Gandhi (45*) to take the team to 418/6
Auqib Nabi (3/23) and Abid Mushtaq (2/19) have put J&K on course for a famous victory over Madhya Pradesh, reducing them to 76/5 in a chase of 291. The MP openers started with a cautious 34-run stand but the duo fell in quick succession. Nabi and Abid struck at regular intervals to leave them in a tight spot at 87/5 at stumps on Day 3. Earlier, lower-order contributions from Vanshaj Sharma (54), Abid (41) and Sunil Kumar (25) took J&K to a respectable 248 in the second innings, despite being 73/5 at one stage themselves in their second innings.
KL Rahul's unbeaten 60, and an 84-run stand with Devdutt Padikkal (39) saw Karnataka close Day 3 on 113/2, still 212 adrift from the victory over Mumbai. Tanush Kotian struck the late blow to send the Karnataka No. 3 packing, but Karun Nair (9 not out) joined hands with Rahul to keep Karnataka dreaming of another big fourth innings. Earlier in the day, a counter-attacking 89-run stand, in just 82 deliveries, between Kotian (48 not out) and Tushar Deshpande (47) helped Mumbai finish with 377 in their second innings, eventually setting Karnataka a 325-run target to progress to the semis.
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