Spinners help Jharkhand take 114-run first innings lead

Jamshedpur: Samar Quadri (6/650 and skipper Shahbaz Nadeem (3/47) displayed fine exhibition of spin bowling to help Jharkhand bundle out Vidarbha for 218 and take 114 runs first innings lead on the penultimate day of the four-day Group A Ranji Trophy match, here today.

Hosts Jharkhand, which made 332 runs in the first innings, were 83 for three in their second essay at stumps. Ishank Jaggi was batting on 25 while Saurabh Tiwary was on 21 at the Keenan Stadium. Vidharbha`s Shrikant Wagh claimed all the three wickets in Jharkhand`s second knock. Earlier, resuming their innings at the overnight score of 101 for one, Vidarbha`s unbeaten pair Faiz Fazal and Ravi Jangid negotiated the Jharkhand attack comfortably and kept the scoreboard moving till Quadri was brought into the attack by Jharkhand skipper Nadeem. Quadri, who maintained a disciplined line and length right from the start, drew the first blood for the home team in the form of Ravi Jangid who was caught by Kumar Deobrat for 30. Following the break-through, Quadri in the company of Nadeem bowling did not allow Vidarbha batsmen to settle down even though opener Fazal continued with his fine form and notched up 89 runs off 255 balls with the help of 11 fours. Fazal misread a delivery off left-arm spinner Nadeem to give a simple return catch to the bowler at the team score was 202. Fazal, who had so far scored over 700 runs this season, also shared vital 52 runs for the fifth wicket with wicketkeeper Urvesh Patel, who chipped in with swashbuckling 46 off 59 balls. Brief Scores: Jharkhand: 332 & 83 for three in 29 overs (Ishank Jaggi 25 batting, Saurabh Tiwary 21 batting; Shrikant Wagh 3/20). Vidarbha: 218 all out in 93.2 overs (Faiz Fazal 89, Urvesh Patel 46; Samar Quadri 6/65, Shahbaz Nadeem 3/47).