Ranji Trophy: Madhya Pradesh Beat Baroda by 87 Runs Despite Yusuf Pathan Scare
Yusuf Pathan scored 86 off 98 balls but could not help Baroda evade a 87-run loss to Madhya Pradesh
Yusuf Pathan gave Madhya Pradesh a mighty scare before the visitor's rode on Mihir Hirwani and Punnet Datey's fine bowling to register a 87-run win over Baroda in an exciting Ranji Trophy Group B cricket match, here on Monday. (Read more cricket stories here)
Chasing a stiff 262-run target for an outright win, Baroda were in dire straits at 31 for the loss of five wickets.
But then walked in dangerous Yusuf (86 off 98 balls) and in Swapnil Singh's (47) company raised hopes of an improbable victory for Baroda before the challenge fizzled out.
Yusuf and Swapnil shared 132 runs for the sixth wicket to raise the hopes of the home team but once the big-hitting batsman departed, the writing was on the wall for Baroda as Hirwani ran through the lower-order to bundle out the hosts for 174 in 48.4 overs.
Besides Yusuf and Swapnil, if other top-order batsmen could have made significant contributions the end result could have been different for Baroda.
Hirwani (4/41), son of former India leg-spinner Narendra Hirwani, and pacer Datey (4/20) were the wrecker-in-chief for Madhya Pradesh.
Hirwani, thus, finished with impressive match figures of nine for 101 to win the man-of-the-match award.
Earlier resuming their second innings at the overnight score of 113 for two, Madhya Pradesh took chance and played agressively to score 175 runs off just 28 overs before declaring their innings at 288 for the loss of six wickets.
Overnight batsman Rajat Patidar smashed a quickfire 101 off 127 balls, while Harpreet Singh (53) and Rameez Khan (52) made fifties to make a match out of the tie and give their bowlers a chance to register an outright win.
Swapnil was the pick of the bowlers for Baroda with figures of four for 94. The win gave Madhya Pradesh 6 points.
Brief Scores: Madhya Pradesh: 269 & 288 for six decl in 68 overs (Rajat Patidar 101; Swapnil Singh 4/94) beat Baroda 296 & 174 all out in 48.4 overs (Yusuf Pathan 86; Puneet Datey 4/20, Mihir Hirwani 4/41) by 87 runs.