Services routed for 31.... but that is not the lowest of Ranji totals

With the news of Aussies routing England to win the Ashes before the start of the 4th Test and Indians due to play a test at Johannesburg, you may not be following Ranji, the local tournament in any great detail… but how many of us still remember - Deepak Lokandersingh Chahar ? ? > ?

In Indian domestic season, lot is happening with Vadodara beating Services by an innings and 147 runs… that may not be noteworthy ….but the news of Services crumbling to 31 all out in their second innings – certainly is.. Munaf Patel (remember he played for India….) 6-13 and Gangandeep 4-11 caused the rout. Baroda made 369 thanks to a century by Mistry – Services who made 191 in their first had a disastrous start - only two batsmen - none of them from the top order - scored more than 2 and Vishnu Tiwari was the only one to get into double figures with 14, as Services folded in the 20th over and slumped to their second innings-defeat of the season.

The Baroda coach Sanath Kumar said the Services collapse wasn't due to any gremlins in the track. Deepak Bhaskar, the Services manager, hoped the manner of their defeat was a one-off.  Elsewhere Bengal defeated Uttar Pradesh by 8 wickets and there was a fine bowling performance by Ashok Dinda (he too donned India cap) 7-82.  It took Bengal seven games to record their first win of the season, and they did so in a comprehensive manner against Uttar Pradesh in two and a half days at the Eden Gardens. A greentop was prepared to encourage a result and the seamers exploited it to the fullest.

~ and it is no surprise that the score of 31 is not the lowest in Ranji history… the bottom most is the 21 by Hyderabad against Rajasthan in 2010/11; 22 by Southern Punjab against Northern India in 1934-35; 23 by Sind Vs southern Punjan in 1938-39; 23 twice by Jammu & Kashmir against Delhi in 1960-61 and against Haryana in 1977/78; 25 by Saurathtra against Bombay in 1951-52 and there are 6 more below that 31……….

At Sawai Mansingh stadium in Nov 2010 – Hyderabad were bowled out for a paltry 21… the score card read : 6;1;5;0;0;2;4;2;1;0;0 (Extras 0) – an inglorious end to a team  which holds record for the highest innings total of 944/6 against Andhra….

In Nov 2010, Deepak Chahar made is debut – the right hand fast bowler who went on to play 20 first class matches  had a great spell that read 7.3-2-10-8.

The previous Ranji record was set in the first season (1934-35), when Southern Punjab were bowled out for 22 chasing 114 against Northern India in Amritsar. Chahar was on a hat-trick once, removing MP Arjun and Alfred Absolem with the last ball of his seventh over and the first of his eighth. Pagadala Naidu, the No. 11, kept the hat-trick ball out but got out to the next one. He was not close to getting a perfect 10, though: Pankaj Singh claimed the second and fourth Hyderabad wickets.

In Feb 1935, in the first season of Ranji Southern Punjab took on Northern India ; in the 4th innings Southern Punjab captained by Yuvraj of Patiala and having Nazir Ali and Lala Amarnath was bowled out for 22 in 16.1 overs with Baga Jilani taking 5 for 7; Puri 3 for 3 and Amir Elahi 2 for 7

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

17th Dec 2013.