Lucknow: Wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel continued his good run in the insignificant Ranji Trophy encounter, hitting a sparkling half-century to help Uttar Pradesh save the day against hosts and defending champions Vidarbha in Nagpur on Thursday.
After scoring back-to-back unbeaten centuries for India A against South Africa A in November, Jurel smacked two centuries and four half centuries in List A matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy early this month before being named in Team India for the ODI home series against New Zealand.
On Thursday too, while playing his only first-class match for UP this season, Jurel struck 96 to help his struggling team to 237 in their first innings after tottering at 5/93 at one stage. His 122-ball innings was studded with 11 hits to the fence. In reply, Vidarbha scored 33/0 in 12 overs at the draw of stumps.
In-form opener Madhav Kushik (4) was beaten by swing by Nachiket Bhute with scoreboard reading just 14, before left-arm orthodox spinner Harsh Dubey tricked opener Abhishek Goswami (14) with sharp turn. Skipper Aryan Juyal (12) and keeper-batter Aditya Sharma (18) too departed in quick succession off Dubey and Siddharth Yadav (19) was caught by keeper Rohit Binkar off Praful Hinge and Shivam Sharma (1) going off the field after being stumped by Binkar off Parth Rekhade.
With the scoreboard reading 109/6 in 41 overs, a sudden collapse looked almost imminent, but it was Jurel, who stopped the slide, denying Vidarbha bowlers to dictate terms further. He added 92 runs for the sixth wicket with Shivam Mavi, who remained aggressive in his 57-ball 47 with the help of five boundaries and a six before being caught by Rekhade off Kadam.
Mavi’s departure compelled Jurel to score quick runs which led to his departure as he was caught by Yash Kadam off Harsh Dubey in the 62.2 overs. Young Kartik Yadav remained unbeaten on 17 (26b, 1×6). Dubey completed his ninth first-class five-wicket haul with 6/63.
Desperate to win with a bonus point in their last league match to keep their hopes alive for a berth in the knockout, Vidarbha started cautiously in their first innings as both openers Aman Mokhande (19*, 39b, 2×4) and Satyam Bhoyar (13*, 34b, 2×4) negotiated 12 overs without being separated. Now, Vidarbha would first be aiming to overcome UP’s total and then put a huge total on the board to get UP all out in the second innings in the remaining three days of play.
UP faced their second worst defeat in their 98-year history last week when they were thumped by an innings and 301 by Jharkhand in Lucknow.
