1 week Ago
UP vs Haryana (Photo Credit: @UPCACricket on X) LUCKNOW: Left-arm orthodox spinner Shivam Sharma claimed three wickets to help Uttar Pradesh share honours on the opening day of the Elite Group C Ranji Trophy match against Haryana at the Sports Galaxy ground in Lucknow on Friday. The UP bowlers restricted the visitors from 203/2 at the tea break to 242/6 at the close of play. The visitors were sailing smoothly at 203/2 at one stage, thanks to Himanshu Rana 's scintillating century and skipper Ankit Kumar’s half-century.
Their formidable partnership of 178 runs off 330 deliveries was instrumental in guiding the visitors to a strong position. However, after Rana was dismissed by Shivam, Haryana lost four quick wickets adding just 39 runs to the total. Rana played an exquisite innings of 114 runs off 176 balls, studded with 14 boundaries and a solitary six.
Skipper Ankit Kumar scored 77 runs off 271 balls, with the help of six fours and a six. Earlier, after electing to bat, Haryana got off to a terrible start when opener Lakshya Dalal (9) was bowled by Yash Dayal in the fifth over. Top-order batter Mayank Shandilya (5) was caught by Priyam Garg off promising leg spinner Vipraj Nigam in the 13th over, leaving the team total at 25/2.
Thereafter, Himanshu Rana and skipper Ankit Kumar batted brilliantly until the tea break. Rana was trapped in front of the wicket by Shivam Sharma in the 68th over, and skipper Kumar soon followed him, caught by substitute Akashdeep Nath off Saurabh Kumar in the 74.2 over.
Kapil Hooda and Jayant Yadav failed to stay long at the crease, falling to Shivam Sharma for scores of 0 and 9, respectively. Talking to TOI after the day's play, Shivam Sharma said, “Today the ball was drifting a lot, which really helped me; however, there was not enough bounce on the pitch. On a black soil pitch, you have to bowl wicket-to-wicket which increases the chances of LBW and clean bowled,” he said.
“We will try to carry the same momentum tomorrow morning to gain the upper hand,” he added..
