Ranji Trophy

Making it count: Nagwaswalla was penetrative with an older ball that was inclined to reverse swing.
| Photo Credit: File Photo: K. MURALI KUMAR

Gujarat advanced to the Ranji Trophy semifinals for the first time since the 2019-20 season after thumping Saurashtra by an innings and 98 runs at the Niranjan Shah Stadium, here on Tuesday.

On a day four pitch that had no demons for the batters, Saurashtra showed faint resistance, getting skittled out for 197 in the second innings for a resounding defeat well before tea. The batting unit had let the home team down in the first innings as well by folding for 216. In contrast, Gujarat had piled up 511 with centuries from Urvil Patel and Jaymeet Patel in its lone knock.

To the credit of the bowlers in the visitor’s camp, they hunted as a pack on day four too. While tall medium-pacer Priyajitsinh Jadeja claimed four for 32, left-armer Arzan Nagwaswalla looked particularly penetrative with an older ball that was inclined to reverse swing.

Resuming on 33 for no loss, Saurashtra began the day confidently with Harvik Desai driving Nagwaswalla to the right of deep backward point for a boundary. Harvik unfurled a few more such drives in his knock of 54. But once his opening partner, Chirag Jani, miscued a pull against Priyajitsinh to deep square leg in the 28th over to end a stand of 67, it all went pear-shaped for Jaydev Unadkat’s men.

Cheteshwar Pujara had a game to forget. He fell in Priyajitsinh’s very next over for two, flicking a half-volley on middle and leg stump to Nagwaswalla at square leg. When Chintan Gaja brought himself back into the attack in the 36th over, he managed to induce Harvik’s outside edge.

Leggie Ravi Bishnoi joined in on the wicket-taking act when Sheldon Jackson, who called time on his excellent domestic career after the game, inside-edged a drive onto his stumps. Nagwaswalla came into his own on either side of the lunch break, taking out Arpit Vasavada, Prerak Mankad and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja with the reverse-swinging ball.

The scores: Saurashtra — 1st innings: 216.

Gujarat — 1st innings: 511.

Saurashtra — 2nd innings: Harvik Desai c (sub) Het b Gaja 54, Chirag Jani c Nagwaswalla b Priyajitsinh 26, Cheteshwar Pujara c Nagwaswalla b Priyajitsinh 2, Sheldon Jackson b Bishnoi 27, Arpit Vasavada lbw b Nagwaswalla 11, Prerak Mankad c Aarya b Nagwaswalla 8, Sammar Gajjar c (sub) Het b Bishnoi 7, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja c Jaymeet b Nagwaswalla 19, Jaydev Unadkat b Priyajitsinh 29, Yuvrajsinh Dodiya (not out) 9, Hiten Kanbi c Aarya b Priyajitsinh 0; Extras (b-2, nb-3): 5; Total (in 62.1 overs): 197.

Fall of wickets: 1-67, 2-71, 3-98, 4-118, 5-132, 6-135, 7-149, 8-159, 9-197.

Gujarat bowling: Gaja 15-4-34-1, Nagwaswalla 14-1-54-3, Siddharth 6-0-23-0, Priyajitsinh 8.1-2-32-4, Jayswal 2-1-6-0, Bishnoi 12-3-30-2, Jaymeet 5-2-16-0.