Abhijeet Tomar’s well-paced century (111, 125b, 12×4, 4×6) and a disciplined all-round bowling effort powered Rajasthan to a 19-run win over Tamil Nadu within the pre-quarterfinals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy right here on the Kotambi Stadium on Thursday.
Requested to bat first, Rajasthan was bowled out for 267 regardless of Tomar’s heroics and skipper Mahipal Lomoror’s breezy half-century (60, 49b, 3×4, 4×6) on the prime of the order. The duo cast a 160-run alliance for the second wicket off simply 132 balls and laid the platform for an enormous complete.
Nevertheless, Varun Chakaravarthy (5 for 52) bowled TN again into the competition, working by way of Rajasthan’s batting line-up as he scalped his fourth Checklist A five-wicket haul.
In reply, TN bought off to a flyer when N. Jagadeesan (65) smashed pacer Aman Singh Shekawat for six boundaries within the second over of the chase. The five-time champion was in full management, managing 70 for 2 within the first PowerPlay.
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Regardless that Rajasthan pulled issues again by way of their spinners as soon as the sector unfold out, Jagadeeesan and B. Indrajith saved the asking charge in examine. However a spate of soppy dismissals noticed the southern aspect squander their benefit. Jagadeesan first lofted left-arm spinner Ajay Kookna straight to long-off earlier than Indrajith’s half-hearted ramp off Shekhawat went straight to the third-man fielder.
Vijay Shankar (49) and S. Mohamed Ali (34) calmed the nerves for some time, stitching a 51-run partnership for the fifth wicket. The younger Mohamed Ali regarded serene, reducing and pulling the pacers with elan. However at an important juncture, Mohamed Ali set off for a non-existent single from the non-striker’s finish and ran himself out. It was the opening Rajasthan wanted to shut out the competition and set-up a quarterfinal conflict towards Vidarbha on Sunday.
Earlier, Tomar, who was dropped on zero, was watchful within the first ten overs earlier than unleashing his full vary of strokeplay. The 29-year-old minimize free by dispatching Vijay Shankar for a lofted most after which pulled him over mid-wicket for a boundary.
He then welcomed Varun into the assault by smashing the thriller spinner over midwicket after which lofted him over long-on to convey up his half-century in type.
The Rajasthan opener used his attain to hit by way of the road and punished something brief by essaying the minimize shot to good impact towards the tweakers.
Tomar then raced to his fourth Checklist A century by way of a collection of boundaries, together with a pristine straight drive off pacer Trilok Nag. However simply when Rajasthan regarded set for an enormous complete, Varun struck thrice in three overs to convey his aspect again into the competition. Lomror’s aspect slumped from 209 for 3 to 267 within the forty eighth over, however in the long run, it proved sufficient.