Cricket

Tanmay Agarwal, the prolific Hyderabad opener, continued his impressive run in the Ranji Trophy with a magnificent century on the opening day of their Elite Group B match against Andhra at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad.Agarwal, who has amassed over 10,000 runs in first-class cricket, notched up his 15th Ranji Trophy century, a knock of 124 off 240 deliveries, studded with 10 boundaries and a six. His innings was crucial in helping Hyderabad post a competitive 244 for five at the end of the day's play.Agarwal's innings was characterized by his trademark grit and determination. He was fortunate to survive a dropped catch on 20, but made Andhra pay dearly for their lapse in concentration. The right-hander played some exquisite strokes, particularly off Andhra's left-arm spinner A. Lalith Mohan, including a towering six over long-off.Despite the early dropped catches, Andhra's fielding was generally poor, with Hyderabad openers Abhirath Reddy and Agarwal both being given lifelines. Reddy was dropped twice, while Agarwal was grassed once.Andhra's pacer Mohammed Rafi was the pick of the bowlers, testing even the well-set Agarwal with his teasing off-stump line. However, the Hyderabad batsman remained unfazed, showcasing his class and experience.Hyderabad's innings was not without its setbacks. Abhirath Reddy (35) and Rohit Rayudu (0) were dismissed cheaply, while captain G. Rahul Singh (1) failed to get going. However, K. Himateja (36) and K. Nitesh Reddy (22) provided valuable contributions, before Rahul Radesh (22 not out) and Agarwal put on an unbeaten 44-run stand to ensure Hyderabad ended the day on a positive note.Andhra's wicketkeeper K. Srikar Bharat was in fine form behind the stumps, effecting a smart stumping to dismiss Nitesh Reddy.

Mumbai's Ranji Trophy campaign has been a topsy-turvy affair so far, but they will be hoping to kick-start their season with a win against Odisha from Wednesday. The defending champions have been placed fourth in a group of eight, and their relatively inexperienced batting line-up will be banking on captain Ajinkya Rahane and Shreyas Iyer to take the game away from Odisha.Iyer, who ended his three-year First Class hundred drought last month, will be making his return to the side after taking a break from the last round. His inclusion is a major boost for Mumbai, who will be looking to him to provide stability and experience to their batting order.Odisha, on the other hand, are yet to take off in this campaign. They have played three matches so far, losing two and drawing one. However, they will be confident of causing an upset against Mumbai, having beaten them in the Vijay Hazare Trophy last year.The match will be played at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy ground in Mumbai. The pitch is expected to be a good batting surface, and both teams will be looking to post big scores.

The Ranji Trophy Group-C match between Bengal and Kerala ended in a dull draw at the Jadavpur University ground on Tuesday due to the massive loss of play on the first two days caused by the impact of Cyclone Dana.Resuming from 267 for seven, Kerala declared at 356 for nine, adding 89 quick runs in 18 overs in the morning. Overnight batters Salman Nizar and Mohammed Azharuddeen formed a 124-run partnership for the eighth wicket to guide Kerala to a position of strength.Azharuddeen (84, 97b, 11x4s, 2x6s) shouldered the responsibility and plundered 54, including six fours and two sixes off Shahbaz Ahmed and Mohammed Kaif, off 49 deliveries before falling to Kaif. Ishan Porel removed Nidheesh M.D. to pick up his sixth wicket.When Kerala declared its innings, Nizar (95 n.o., 262b, 8x4s, 1x6) was five short of what would have been his maiden ton.Chasing an improbable 357 in a little more than two sessions, Bengal openers, debutant Shuvam Dey (67, 113b, 7x4, 1x6) and Sudip Chatterjee (57, 102b, 9x4), batted sensibly to score half-centuries and put up 101 runs on an unresponsive track.Jalaj Saxena trapped Chatterjee lbw in the middle session, while Aditya Sarvate claimed Dey and Avilin Ghosh in consecutive overs after tea. Anustup Majumdar and Sudip Gharami displayed some patience and gamesmanship to last more than 22 overs as the match dragged on until bad light halted play.The match ended in a draw, with both teams securing one point apiece as the first innings could not be completed.

Hyderabad's relentless bowling attack, spearheaded by left-arm spinner Tanay Thyagarajan's seven-wicket haul, proved too formidable for Pondicherry, leading to an emphatic innings and 50-run victory in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group B match at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium.Thyagarajan's exceptional performance marked his 10th five-wicket haul in just 23 Ranji matches, showcasing his growing stature as a potent spin threat. Pondicherry's hopes of salvaging a draw were dashed as Hyderabad's bowlers maintained a relentless pressure throughout the fourth and final day.Opener Ganga Sridhar Raju provided a glimmer of hope for Pondicherry with a fine maiden Ranji century (106 off 214 balls). His gritty innings demonstrated his ability to counter the home team's attack on a pitch that showed signs of wear and tear. However, Raju's dismissal by Rohit Rayudu, a part-time off-spinner, proved to be a turning point.From that moment on, Hyderabad's bowlers took wickets at regular intervals. Akash Kargave (31), Marimuthu Vinkeshwaran (21), and Ankit Sharma (22 not out) offered some resistance, but there was no substantial partnership to threaten the hosts.Thyagarajan's consistent line and length, coupled with his ability to spin the ball sharply away, proved too much for Pondicherry's batsmen. He chipped away at the opposition's lineup, ensuring that there were no dramatic turnarounds.Left-arm spinner Aniketh, who had taken six wickets in the first innings, was below par in the second innings, failing to add to his tally. However, pace bowler Chama Milind continued to impress, picking up one wicket.With this victory, Hyderabad has now accumulated seven points from three games, solidifying their position in the tournament standings.

Off-spinner Lakshay Jain's remarkable performance propelled Chhattisgarh to a tame draw against TNCA XI in the Buchi Babu semifinal at the NPR College cricket ground in Natham. Jain's five-wicket haul in the second innings, coupled with his five-wicket haul in the first innings, gave him a match haul of ten for 216.Chhattisgarh, having secured the first-innings lead, opted not to enforce the follow-on. However, TNCA XI's batting lineup struggled against Jain's guile. Mohammad Irfan was dismissed leg before wicket, while Amandeep Khare's expansive cover drive was thwarted by the spinning ball.Khare, who had earlier struck two sixes, shared a 60-run seventh-wicket stand with left-hander Gagandeep Singh (30). However, Jain's relentless bowling proved too much for TNCA XI, as he dismissed Jeevesh Butte and Anuj Tiwari in quick succession.The umpires ended the match prematurely due to the lack of competitive play. Chhattisgarh's first-innings total of 467, featuring Ayush Pandey's 82, Anuj Tiwari's 93, Amandeep Khare's 97, and Prateek Yadav's 109, proved to be insurmountable for TNCA XI.

Left-handed batsman Prateek Yadav and skipper Amandeep Khare played pivotal roles as Chhattisgarh amassed a formidable 450 runs for nine wickets before rain halted play on day two of their semifinal clash against TNCA XI in the Buchi Babu cricket tournament at the NPR College cricket ground in Natham.Yadav, who resumed his innings on 61, accelerated his scoring and reached his century with two towering sixes off left-arm spinner Ajith Ram. He displayed his aggressive intent, charging at the bowler for a long-off six and slog-sweeping over mid-wicket for his century off just 113 deliveries.Yadav's partnership with Khare, who had resumed his attritional batting from overnight, flourished to 164 runs. Khare, known for his patient approach, flicked Achyuth for a four through mid-wicket and cover-drove Sonu for a similar outcome. He also reverse-swept Lakshay's off-spin to deep backward point and lofted it to long on for two more boundaries.However, Khare's innings came to an end when he mistimed a wide delivery from Lakshay, resulting in a sharp low catch by Mokit Hariharan at short fine leg. Khare departed with a well-crafted 97 off 267 deliveries.Chhattisgarh's innings was eventually declared at 450 for nine after 146.2 overs. Ajith Ram and Lakshay Jain were the most successful bowlers for TNCA XI, claiming four wickets each.In the other semifinal match played in Tirunelveli, Hyderabad posted a total of 313 runs. TNCA President's XI responded with 291 for six wickets at the close of play, with S. Rithik Easwaran (83 batting) and M. Mohammed (41 batting) holding the crease.

TNCA President's XI rallied to post a respectable 291 for six on day two of the Buchi Babu semifinal against Hyderabad in Tirunelveli. The team's recovery was sparked by an unbroken 91-run seventh-wicket partnership between S. Rithik Easwaran (83 batting) and M. Mohammed (41 batting).Hyderabad's left-arm spinner Tanay Thyagarajan had earlier given his side the advantage with a four-wicket haul, dismissing openers S. Radhakrishnan and R. Vimal Khumar (75) and later Andre Siddharth and A. Badrinath cheaply.However, Easwaran and Mohammed steadied the innings, guiding TNCA President's XI out of a precarious position. Easwaran, in particular, played a crucial role, hitting six fours and two sixes in his patient knock.Earlier, Khumar and K.T.A. Madhava Prasad (40) had provided a solid start for TNCA President's XI, putting on 94 runs for the second wicket. But Thyagarajan's intervention, followed by the dismissals of Madhava Prasad and Vimal, left the team reeling at 200 for six.Hyderabad, who had posted 313 in their first innings, will be looking to capitalize on their 22-run lead when play resumes on day three. TNCA President's XI, on the other hand, will need to bat aggressively to put pressure back on their opponents.

Ajith Ram, a rising star in the Tamil Nadu cricket team, has emerged as a tireless workhorse in the ongoing Buchi Babu tournament semifinal against Chhattisgarh. Despite the wicket offering little assistance to spinners, Ram has toiled relentlessly, bowling 42 overs in two days and claiming four wickets for 109 runs.Ram's unwavering determination to bowl long spells stems from his belief that it provides ample opportunities to outwit batters. "I love bowling a lot. Long spells mean more chances to pick up wickets," he said. "I enjoy the challenge of plotting a batter's dismissal."The 24-year-old spinner has carried his impressive form from the previous Ranji Trophy season into this tournament. He credits his success to his ability to adjust his bowling to the conditions and the batter's strengths. "When you bowl a lot in the long format, you can build up patiently for a batter," he explained. "I like that a lot."Ram's contributions have been crucial for Tamil Nadu, who are aiming to reach the final of the tournament. He has not only been economical with the ball but has also chipped in with valuable runs down the order. "It'll be better if I could contribute to the team with the bat," he said.Ram's performance has caught the attention of cricket pundits, who believe he has the potential to become a mainstay in the Tamil Nadu team and even the Indian national side. His ability to bowl long spells, control the run rate, and take wickets makes him a valuable asset to any team.As Tamil Nadu continues its quest for victory in the Buchi Babu tournament, Ram is expected to play a pivotal role. His tireless work ethic and unwavering determination will undoubtedly be key factors in his team's success.