ROI all-out for 214 in first innings of Irani Cup:Rajat Patidar, Abhimanyu Easwaran slam half-century, Yash took four wickets; Vidarbha lead by 128 runs

Ranji champions Vidarbha tightened their grip on the Irani Cup after securing a first-innings lead against Rest of India on the third day at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur. Vidarbha, who made 342 runs in their first innings, bowled out Rest of India for 214, taking a valuable lead of 128 runs. The match has so far seen Vidarbha’s batting strength and disciplined bowling dominate the Rest of India’s batting lineup. While Rajat Patidar stood tall with a fighting half-century, his efforts were not enough to take his team close to Vidarbha’s total. With two days still left in the match, Vidarbha now have a strong advantage and will look to stretch their lead further to keep Rest of India under pressure. Patidar’s half-century was the only resistance Resuming the day at 142/5, Rest of India suffered an early blow when Manav Suthar was dismissed on the very first ball without adding to his overnight score. The lower order failed to show much resistance, with Saransh Jain scoring 10, Akash Deep 14, and Gurnoor Brar 13 before losing their wickets. Captain Rajat Patidar was the lone fighter, scoring a well-made 66 runs, but once he was dismissed, the innings quickly folded. Rest of India’s batting collapse reflected the disciplined bowling by Vidarbha’s attack. Also read: Bangladesh beat Afghanistan by 4 wickets in first T20I: Openers Parvez -Tanzid’s 109-run partnership set strong start; Bangla Tigers lead three-match series by 1-0 Vidarbha bowlers shine, Yash took four wickets For Vidarbha, pacer Yash Thakur was the star performer, claiming 4 important wickets to break the backbone of Rest of India’s batting. Harsh Dubey and Parth Rekhade supported him well with two wickets each, while Darshan Nalkande and Aditya Thakare chipped in with one wicket apiece. Their combined effort ensured Vidarbha gained a healthy first-innings lead, putting them in control of the match. Earlier highlights of the match On Day 2, Rest of India started their innings in the second session after Vidarbha posted 342 runs. Openers Abhimanyu Easwaran and Aryan Juyal gave their team a steady start with a fifty-run partnership. However, quick wickets followed as Juyal fell for 23 and Yash Dhull for just 11. Easwaran played a composed innings of 52 before being dismissed, leaving Patidar to take charge. Also read: Mirabai Chanu wins silver medal in World Weightlifting Championships: India’s star weightlifter lifts 199 kg; receives third honour in world championship Earlier on Day 1, Vidarbha’s innings was powered by Atharva Taide’s unbeaten century and Yash Rathour’s 91. Their big partnership helped Vidarbha reach 280/5 at stumps before finishing at 342.