Ranji Trophy: Sheldon Jackson, Arpit Vasavada tons help Saurashtra take charge

Saurashtra’s Sheldon Jackson and Arpit Vasavada (left) en route their 232-run partnership. Pic/PTI; (right) Bengal’s Akash Deep. Pic/BCCI

Sheldon Jackson and skipper Arpit Vasavada struck a century each as Saurashtra turned the tables on Karnataka, posting 364 for 4 in their first innings. This was in reply to the opposition's 407 on the third day of their Ranji Trophy semi-final here on Friday.

Mammoth stand

Jackson, overnight on 27, made 160 off 245 balls and decorated his knock with 23 boundaries and two sixes, while Vasavada remained unbeaten on 112 (219 balls, 15x4s) as the duo put on 232 runs for the fourth wicket to bring Saurashtra back into the contest. Saurashtra trail Karnataka by just 43 runs with six wickets in hands and two full days remaining.

In the other semis, Bengal pacer Akash Deep bowled a game-changing spell en route a five-wicket haul to put his team in the driver's seat against defending champions Madhya Pradesh.

Also Read: Bengal cruise past Jharkhand, join Karnataka in Ranji Trophy 2022-23 semifinals

Bengal's Deep claims 5-42

Akash Deep (5-42), who played a key role in their win over Jharkhand in the quarter-finals, rattled Madhya Pradesh's recovery act led by overnight batter Saransh Jain (65), claiming two wickets in two balls.

He uprooted Jain's off-stump and in the next ball trapped Kumar Kartikeya leg-before to breathe life into Bengal's lacklustre attack, which also has Ishan Porel and Mukesh Kumar.

Deep grabbed his fourth five-wicket haul in first-class cricket dismissing Avesh Khan before Madhya Pradesh were bowled out for 170 when their No. 11 batter Gaurav Yadav was run out.

Bengal took a huge first innings lead of 268 runs, but skipper Manoj Tiwary did not enforce the follow-on. Bengal ended the third day on 59 for 2, with an overall lead of 327 runs to inch closer to the final.

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