Unadkat hero with ball as Saurashtra in Ranji semis

Left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat took four wickets in the second innings to take his match tally to 9/116 as Saurashtra thrashed Vidarbha by an innings and 85 runs and book their place in the Ranji Trophy semi-finals for the first time in three seasons.

Unadkat’s nine-wicket haul helped Saurashtra wrap up a one-sided contest inside three days. After bowling out Vidarbha for 151 in their first innings, Saurashtra had scored 375 in their opening essay to take a massive 224-run lead.

Vidarbha resumed on 17 without loss in their second innings, but lost nine wickets for an addition of just 122 runs. Umesh Yadav, who had picked up five wickets in the first innings, was absent hurt after injuring his ankle on the field yesterday. And thus, he could not come out to bat.

Vidarbha were bowled out for a mere 139 shortly after tea on Day Three with Unadkat (4/35) and medium pacer Deepak Punia (3/32) doing the maximum damage.

Kamlesh Makvana (1/12) and Chirag Jani (1/21) took wicket apiece.

Vidarbha failed to find the rhythm and lost wickets in clumps with the highest partnership of the innings being the 44-run fifth-wicket stand between Ravi Jangid (10) and Wasim Jaffer, who top scored with 48.

Opener Faiz Fazal was the only other batsman who chipped in with an useful 36.