Spin duo of Vinay Choudhary and Raghu Sharma shone with the ball as Punjab beat Goa by an innings and 133 runs to register their first win in this season’s Ranji Trophy cricket tournament, in Porvorim on Friday.
Leg-break orthodox bowler Vinay (6/129) and leg-spinner Raghu (7/167) both returned with best match figures in their short first-class career to hand Punjab seven vital points from the Group D encounter.
Both Raghu (3/117) and Vinay (3/57) picked up three wickets apiece in the second innings to bundle out Goa for 256 in their second innings after following on.
Both Raghu (4/50) and Vinay (3/72) were instrumental in Goa’s decimation in the first innings as well.
A 90-run partnership for the last wicket between Darshan Misal (64) and No. 11 Rituraj Singh (51) – who both struck fifties – delayed Punjab’s innings victory but their partnership was not enough to bail Goa out.
Resuming at the overnight score of 67 for 2, the hosts slumped to 122 for eight in 30.2 overs.
Amit Yadav added 44 with Misal to push the score beyond 150. Misal and Rituraj’s stand then came at a run-rate of nearly eight.
Goa’s innings eventually ended at 256 when left-arm spinner Vinay had Rituraj caught by Jiwanjot Singh – who had hit a double-century in the first innings.
Brief Scores:
At Porvorim: Punjab 635 all out in 148.5 overs (Jiwanjot Singh 238, Gurkeerat Singh 114; Shadab Jakati 5/165) vs Goa 246 all out & 256 all out in 88.1 overs (Darshan Misal 64, Rituraj Singh 51; Raghu Sharma 3/117, Vinay Choudhary 3/57); Result: Punjab beat Goa by an innings and 133 runs.
At New Delhi: Himachal Pradesh 364 & 176/9 declared in 54.4 overs vs Services 215 all out & 228 all out in 78.4 overs; Gurvinder Singh 6/52); Result: Himachal Pradesh beat by 97 runs.
At Nagpur: Chhattisgarh 489 all out & 195/9 in 52 overs (Jatin Saxena 75; Akshay Karnewar 3/43, Umesh Yadav 3/50) vs Vidarbha 435 all all out. Result: Match drawn.