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.

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.

TNCA President's XI emerged victorious in the third round of the Buchi Babu cricket tournament, securing a spot in the semifinals. Skipper M. Siddharth played a pivotal role in the team's triumph, showcasing exceptional bowling skills.On the third day of the Group-B match at the Salem Cricket Foundation ground, Siddharth's left-arm spin proved devastating for Gujarat. He claimed eight wickets for just 21 runs, dismantling the opposition's batting lineup. Gujarat was bowled out for a mere 58 runs, setting TNCA President's XI a modest target of 219.The TNCA batters approached the chase with a positive mindset, recognizing the need to play aggressively on the challenging pitch. Player-of-the-match C. Andre Siddarth, who had scored an unbeaten 55 in the first innings, once again proved his worth. He slammed an unbeaten 115 off 94 deliveries, including 15 boundaries and four sixes.Siddarth's aggressive batting helped TNCA President's XI reach the target with five wickets to spare. He hit back-to-back sixes off Rinkesh Vaghela's off-spin, showcasing his power and timing. The winning shot was a slog sweep off left-arm spinner Siddharth Desai, which sailed over deep midwicket for a six.Siddharth's match haul of 14 wickets for 97 runs was a testament to his exceptional bowling abilities. His left-arm spin created constant pressure on the Gujarat batters, forcing them into errors.With this victory, TNCA President's XI topped its group and qualified for the semifinals. The team's success was largely attributed to Siddharth's outstanding performance, which helped them overcome a challenging pitch and a determined Gujarat side.

Karnataka's historic Ranji Trophy triumph in 1973-74, which broke Bombay's 15-year dominance, was celebrated with a grand felicitation ceremony at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The event honored the victorious team members, who shared their memories and anecdotes from that unforgettable season.Led by the legendary off-spin wizard EAS Prasanna, Karnataka defeated a formidable Rajasthan side captained by Hanumant Singh by 185 runs in Jaipur on March 27, 1974. The victory marked the first of eight Ranji Trophy titles for the state.The nostalgia-filled event was graced by Prasanna, G.R. Viswanath, B.S. Chandrasekhar, Brijesh Patel, Syed Kirmani, A.V. Jayaprakash, B. Sudhakar Rao, Sanjay Desai, S. Vijayprakash, B. Siddaramu, R. Arunkumar, and B. Raghunath. Tributes were also paid to the three departed souls: V.S. Vijay Kumar, B. Vijayakrishna, and K. Lakshman."The win was very satisfying," recalled Prasanna. "The likes of Kirmani, Jayaprakash, and Vijayakrishna lifted their games and scored on a wicket that was conducive to our kind of bowling. The Karnataka team may not have looked very good on paper, but we were very effective on the pitch."However, the victory was not without its share of drama. On the rest day between the third and fourth days, the team members had partaken in Holi festivities and ingested Bhang, unknowingly."It took us two days to come down to earth [from the high]," said Viswanath, as the audience guffawed. "Everybody in the team was just laughing. But I had become very serious. The England tour was coming up, and I was a bit worried about that. I didn't get runs in the final.""But the important thing was that we won," Viswanath added. "The train journey back to Bangalore, which was supposed to be for two days, took nearly 3.5 days as the train stopped everywhere. But not a single passenger complained that the train was late."One of the highlights of the triumphant campaign was Karnataka's victory over Bombay in the semifinal, and Prasanna's dismissal of Sunil Gavaskar."It is one of the greatest deliveries I have ever seen," said Viswanath. "I was standing at first slip. It wasn't a doosra, teesra, or leg-cutter. Just a proper off-spinner that left the batter slightly. Sunil had covered everything, but may have just left a millimetre open. And Pras got him."The golden jubilee celebration was a fitting tribute to the Karnataka team that broke Bombay's stranglehold on the Ranji Trophy and etched their names in the annals of Indian cricket history.