Host Vidarbha managed to take a slender five-run first innings lead against Saurashtra after left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate picked up five-wicket haul in first-class cricket and off-spinner Akshay Wakhare grabbed a four-wicket haul on the third day of Ranji Trophy match at VCA Jamtha Stadium on Tuesday.
Snell Patel’s 102 was the cornerstone of Saurashtra’s 307 all out but Sarwate ensured Vidarbha had the first innings advantage and finished day three of the Ranji Trophy final with a 60-run lead. Saurashtra had been reduced to 247 for 9 before skipper Jaydev Unadkat and Chetan Sakariya added 60 for the last wicket to keep their team in the fight. In fact, strong lower-order contributions from KR Makvana and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja meant the match was wide open after two days of intense cricket.
DharmendrasinhJadeja then struck twice to remove Vidarbha skipper Faiz Faizal and his opening partner Sanjay Raghunath. Ganesh Satish and Wasim Jaffer held firm as Vidarbha finished with a 60-run lead in the second innings.
