The premier
championship of India – Ranji Trophy is on – and in all likelihood has been won
by Saurashtra, as they secured the much wanted first innings lead. Last year it
was Vidarbha. Much water has flown
under the bridge from Mumbai always being the Winner followed by Delhi &
Karnataka. In the last decade it has
been : Rajasthan, Rajastan, Mumbai, Karnataka, Karnataka, Mumbai, Gujarat,
Vidarbha, Vidarbha and now Saurashtra. Though technically, this is their first
ever win of the trophy - they had played
earlier as Nawanagar and Western India. Nawanagar won the Ranji Trophy in 1936-37
and were runners up in 1937-38. Western India won the Ranji Trophy in 1943-44.
Saurashtra began competing in the 1950-51 Ranji trophy. They were runners-up in
the Ranji Trophy to Mumbai in 2012-13 and 2015-16 and in 2018-19 against
Vidarbha.
This region
was once known as ‘Kathiawar’ ~ the word
Kathiawad means the land of the Kathis, a Rajput tribe who migrated to the
region in the 8th century and controlled the southwestern peninsula of
contemporary Gujarat. Before Indian independence in 1947, most of Kathiawar was
divided into numerous princely states, ruled by local potentates who
acknowledged British suzerainty in return for local sovereignty. After Indian independence, the Princely states of Kathiawar acceded to India. Now it is Saurashtra, also known as Sorath or
Kathiawar, is a peninsular region of Gujarat,
located on the Arabian Sea coast. It covers about a third of Gujarat
state, notably 11 districts of Gujarat, including Rajkot District.
The Calcutta Test in Feb 1999 was a great crowd puller – it is reported that around 100,000 turned up on the first four days – crowd’s favourite Sachin Tendulkar clipped Wasim Akram to deep midwicke took two runs - completing 5000 Test runs in the process - and was on his way back for a third when substitute Nadeem Khan hit the stumps with his throw from the deep. In the ordinary course of events it was a straightforward third run even with the direct hit, but Tendulkar collided with Shoaib Akhtar, who was waiting close to the stumps to gather the return, and as a result was out of his ground, even though he may well have been just inside the crease at the moment of the collision. Steve Bucknor referred it to the third umpire, KT Francis, who, after a long delay, gave him out. Crowds erupted and eventually Pakistan completed the win with no spectator allowed on the ground !
Kane Richardson is missing the first ODI between Australia Vs New Zealand at the SCG having been tested for COVID-19 after reporting a mild sore throat to Australia's medical team yesterday. Richardson, who returned from South Africa earlier this week with the rest of the ODI squad, has been isolated for the time being and results of the test are expected this afternoon. If it is negative he will return to the squad.
This morning
at an empty SCG, Aaron Finch decided to
bat first as the immediate future of sporting events in Australia looked
increasingly doubtful due to the coronavirus pandemic. New Zealand have opted to
include a second frontline spinner in Ish Sodhi with Tim Southee missing out on
the XI as he did in the Sydney Test two months ago. Trent Boult and Lockie
Ferguson, who both picked up injuries during the Test series here, return for
their first ODIs since the World Cup final. New Zealand currently hold the
Chappell-Hadlee trophy following their series victory in 2017 but have never
won a bilateral ODI series in Australia.
Kevin Roberts, the Cricket
Australia chief executive, has denied it was "irresponsible" to play
Sunday's women's T20 World Cup final in front of more than 86,000 spectators at
the MCG. However, he has acknowledged the potential exposure of many in
attendance to the coronavirus helped lead to the decision to play the men's ODI
series between Australia and New Zealand in empty stadiums now. Speaking in Melbourne on Friday morning,
Roberts said that CA has been receiving constantly updated advice from health
officials in recent days, with Thursday's news that a spectator in the MCC
members area of the MCG on Sunday had subsequently been diagnosed with coronavirus
contributing to the call to lock crowds out of the three ODI matches, two at
the SCG on Friday and Sunday and concluding at Hobart's Bellerive Oval next
Friday.
Concerns among Australia's
players about potential exposure to coronavirus in front of large crowds of
spectators were a factor in Cricket Australia's decision to play the one-day
series against New Zealand behind closed doors, with the T20I matches at the
end of the month in New Zealand are in doubt. A few hours previously it had
been confirmed that the Australia Women's tour of South Africa would not be
taking place.
Back home, the Ranji finals
is now on between Saurashtra and Bengal,
at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium. Dilip Doshi, a noted left-arm
spinner of his time, opined that spin
bowling has been deeply impacted by T20 cricket. Spinners need to stick to
their strength, he said. “If you have been picked as a spinner, then you got to
make sure that you are spinning the ball,” he says. About the current scenario,
he says, “Spinners hardly spin the ball. I cannot call somebody a spinner
unless he spins the ball. Otherwise, he falls into the category of a slow
bowler. Probably there is too much of coaching.
The day 5 was a tense
affair. Hosts Saurashtra dominated in
the morning session and managed to win the Ranji Trophy 2019-20 on Day 5 of the
final against Bengal. Saurashtra win their maiden title. Fittingly, it’s Jaydev
Unadkat who took s the final wicket in what has been a phenomenal season for
him. Commiseration to Bengal , whose 30-year-wait continues. The final day of the Ranji Trophy summit
clash between Bengal and Saurashtra is being played without any spectators due
to the COVID-19 pandemic. “No public will be allowed on the final day. Only the
players, match officials, officials from the host association and media are
allowed,” BCCI general manager Saba Karim, who is in charge of domestic
cricket, told the media.
Bengal were aiming for their
first title since 1989-90 while Saurashtra were eying their maiden trophy.
After a drab three days, Thursday had witnessed absorbing action with both
teams fighting to take the first innings lead, which effectively decided the
Ranji Trophy winner. Left arm pacer Jaydev
Unadkat has taken 67 wickets in 1 matches with 7 – 5 wicket hauls and two 10
wicket hauls.
Interestingly for some part
of the match, a single Umpire officiated at both the ends. C Shamsuddin could take no part due to f swelling in his lower abdomen arising
out of a throw from deep. For one full
session on Tuesday, KN Ananthapadhmanabhan, the other on-field umpire, officiated
from both ends, with local umpire Piyush Kakkar doing duty at square leg. The
BCCI regulations require the presence of neutral umpires from both ends;
Kakkar, being from Rajkot, wasn't allowed to officiate from the main end. S
Ravi, the designated third umpire, couldn't take the field as he was the only
match official equipped with BCCI's limited DRS available for the match.
However, after lunch, Shamsuddin was temporarily slotted in as TV umpire, with
Ravi taking the field to comply with BCCI's neutral umpires' criteria.
In the famed Ranji Trophy, in between it became an
unwritten rule that Toss is the most vital. The winner bats first without
hesitation, amasses runs - amass runs mostly by staying put, wear down the
opponent and win by First innings
lead. My memory takes back to the
finals in 1981/82 at Delhi in March
1982. Karnataka played first. Roger Michael Humphrey Binny scored 115; Brijesh Patel 124, stylish
Sudhakar Rao 71, Kirmani 116, Ranjit Kanwilkar 116 – as they were all out after
255 overs making 705. Ranjit Kanwilkar,
an all-rounder was only 21 and was considered to be an exciting
prospect, sadly died later in an accident when coaches fell into lake Ashtamudi
Kayal in July 1988. Delhi bowling was in
the hands of Madanlal, Mohinder Amarnath,
Maninder (who went for 204 runs), Shukla and Kirti Azad. Chasing
706 is certainly daunting – but Delhi had other plans. Raman Lamba scored 36, Gursharan Singh made
101; Surinder Amarnath fell cheaply.
Kirti Azad, Surinder Khanna,
Madanlal all made useful runs – Mohinder was rock steady and made 185. At one stage Delhi were 589 for 8 - 116 short………. Shulka made an unbeaten 69 and Rajesh Peter
made 67 in an unbroken stand as Delhi
took the lead. Hapless Binny, Khanvilkar, Vijaykrishna, Raghuram
Bhat all went for 100+. As there was no rule for unfinished match, the match
went into the sixth day enabling the hosts to gain first innings lead and
mercifully stopped at that. ....
With regards – S.
Sampathkumar
13.3.2020.
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