‘Fighters’ Bhagwat, Joshi script turnaround
| Date :04-Aug-2020 |
Sunil Hedaoo (also inset) scored a half century (60) and had a 115-run partnership with skipper Ashok Bhagwat, who top-scored with an aggressive 81.
By Anupam Soni ;
Vidarbha tail ensures lead in a thrilling first innings chase Time Travel
MOST of the two-innings matches are remembered for close and exciting finishes. Those may end up in outright results or draws. But one Ranji Trophy match had all the ingredients of an edge-of-the-seat thriller that too for a first innings lead. To add to the drama, it ended in a tie (first innings scores). But with bonus runs Vidarbha took the first innings lead — another rarity in those days! In the three-day Vidarbha versus Madhya Pradesh Ranji Trophy Central Zone League match played at Rajkumar College Ground, Raipur in November 1980 on a matting wicket, the hosts decided to bat first.
Ashok Bhagwat
They were all out for 371 in 101.2 overs. In reply, Vidarbha, who looked down and out at one stage, fought back remarkably through the tail and when their last wicket fell, they had also scored an identical 371. But MP had bowled two overs short and the penalty of eight bonus runs meant that the visitors took an important first innings lead. Madhya Pradesh started off well with openers Sanjeeva Rao (43) and stumper Avadesh Gupta (29) putting up 60 on the board.
Number four Mehmood Hassan (95) and skipper Sanjay Jagdale (59) kept up the good work. The team was sitting pretty at 4-302 at one stage and a huge score looked inevitable. But Vidarbha seamer Bhaskar Joshi (6-116), who had removed top three batters, polished off the tail for his best First-Class figures. MP lost last six wickets for 69 runs. For Vidarbha, captain and pacer Ashok Bhagwat took two wickets including that of the top-scorer Hassan. Third seamer Satish Takle and left-arm orthodox bowler Hemant Wasu, just into his second FC match, took one each.
“In those days it was a rule to play all FC matches on a new matting and 371 was a huge score on a brand new mat,” said Sunil Hedaoo while recalling the match. Hedaoo, who also had led Vidarbha, later became Chairman of Senior Selection Committee and during his regime Vidarbha won back to back Ranji Trophy and Irani Cup titles. Vidarbha’s response was also good. “We had a quick start. Motya (Vijay Telang as he was called fondly by team-mates) started in his usual way and by the time he was out at team score of 55, he had made 41. “Then Raju (Pankule) and I had a decent partnership. After his fall, Suhas (Phadkar) went cheaply. Shirish Joshi and myself took the score further.
With Shirish’s departure, top half was back in the pavilion. Skipper (Bhagwat) walked in. He was in good form with the bat that season. He was a fighter and asked me to stand at one end and that he would try to score as many. And he did,” said Hedaoo. After Bhagwat (81) and Hedaoo (60) scored 115 runs for the sixth wicket, MP struck twice. “MP had (right-arm) pacer Pradeep Banerjee, who was a stout fellow but generated a lot of pace and was considered to be among the fastest in the country then. He was bowling round the wicket to me. On a leg side delivery, I tried to flick but missed. There was no appeal from anybody but their wicketkeeper saw that the bail was dislodged.
He appealed and the umpires declared me out. Soon Bhagwat was adjudged leg before to the same bowler. To all of us, he was not out. Playing on front foot, the ball had hit him well above the knee roll,” Hedaoo remembered the match as if it had happened just yesterday. Hedaoo went on, “Satish Takle and Ladya (Bhaskar Joshi) played gem of knocks to almost hand us the lead. Ladya was also a fighter like Bhagwat. With every ball, tension was mounting. When MP brought their left-arm spinner Narendra Bagtheria, Ladya swept him for two sixes hitting the ‘baithak’ shot levelling the scores but young Wasu was trapped lbw by Banerjee. MP had bowled two overs short and we were awarded eight bonus runs.
“It was my fifth or sixth season with the team but that was for the first time when we took first innings lead. That match gave us immense confidence and later on we started beating teams in our zone.” Bhagwat, who played 42 First-Class matches for Vidarbha, got his highest score in this game. This was his penultimate season. Bhagwat started his career in 1970-71 and retired after 1981-82 season. “With the top batsmen gone, there was only one way left to score those runs with the tail.
I played aggressively and then Satish and Ladya did the rest,” Bhagwat recollected. Bhagwat’s new ball partner Bhaskar Joshi came out with best show with both bat and ball. After claiming career-best 6-116, Joshi hit an unbeaten 30 that turned out to be very crucial in helping Vidarbha gain first innings lead. This was Joshi’s debut season and he did not play after 1983-84. “I would like to dedicate that match to Ladya (Bhaskar Joshi) for his brilliant all-round show. He was the man who earned us that draw,” said Bhagwat while praising his colleague who passed away last year. n
Match: Vidarbha vs Madhya Pradesh Ranji Trophy Central Zone League match played at Rajkumar College Ground, Raipur in November 1980 (3-day match).
Result: In the draw Vidarbha got six points including a bonus point.
Highlights
Skipper Ashok Bhagwat,who played 42 First-Class matches for Vidarbha recorded his highest score of 81 in this game.In four matches that season, Bhagwat hit four half centuries.
Bhagwat’s new ball partner Bhaskar Joshi, who played just eight FC matches, came out with best show with both bat and ball.
After claiming career-best 6-116, Joshi hit an unbeaten 30 that turned out to be very crucial in helping Vidarbha gain first innings lead. This was Joshi’s debut season and he did not play after 1983-84.
The Hitavada Scoreboard
MADHYA PRADESH 1ST INNINGS: S Rao c Wasu b B Joshi 43, A Gupta c Takle b B Joshi 29, A Naik c&b Wasu 29, M Hassan c Aney b Bhagwat 95, S Jagdale b B Joshi 59, G Rao c Aney b Takle 22, J Ansari c Aney b Bhagwat 35, R Dave c Pankule b B Joshi 11, N Bagtheria c Pankule b B Joshi 17, V Rao Not Out 10, P Banerjee c S Joshi b B Joshi 12. Extras: 9. TOTAL: (All out, 101.2 overs) 371. FoW: 1-60, 2-134, 3-228, 4-260, 5-302, 6-313, 7-323, 8-346, 9-355. Bowling: Bhagwat 40-8-119-2, B Joshi 28.2-1-116-6, Takle 12-2-32-1, Wasu 15-1-80-1, Pankule 6-0-15-0. VIDARBHA 1ST INNINGS: J Rathod c V Rao b Banerjee 8, V Telang c Gupta b Banerjee 41, R Pankule c Hassan b Ansari 40, S Hedaoo b Banerjee 60, S Phadkar lbw b Jagdale 1, S Joshi c&b Ansari 38, A Bhagwat lbw b Banerjee 81, S Takle b Bagtheria 32, P Aney run out 0, B Joshi Not Out 30, H Wasu lbw b Banerjee 5. Extras: 35. Bonus Runs: 8. TOTAL: (All out, 91.1 overs) 379. FoW: 1-55, 2-58, 3-115, 4-116, 5-162, 6-277, 7-305, 8-317, 9-346. Bowling: Banerjee 29.1-4-103-5, G Rao 5-0-28-0, V Rao 12-4-23-0, Bagtheria 16-2-68-1, Jagdale 14-2-49-1, Ansari 7-0-35-2, Dave 8-0-30-0. MADHYA PRADESH 2ND INNINGS: A Gupta c Wasu b B Joshi 42, A Naik b B Joshi 31, M Hassan Not Out 42, S Jagdale c sub b Phadkar 5, Gopal Rao b B Joshi 56, Extras: 11. TOTAL: (4 wickets decl, 36.3 overs) 187. FoW: 1-77, 2-78, 3-182, 4-187. Bowling: B Joshi 10-0-53-3, Takle 5-0-25-0, Wasu 6-2-30-0, Pankule 7-0-27-0, Telang 4-0-14-0, Phadkar 4.3-0-27-1. VIDARBHA 2ND INNINGS (Target 180 runs): V Telang retired hurt 4, R Pankule retired out 13, S Phadkar lbw b S Rao 32, S Takle c Naik b Ansari 3, B Joshi c Gupta b Ansari 9, H Wasu Not Out 9, P Aney Not Out 0. Extras: 4. TOTAL: (4 wickets, 13 overs) 74. FoW: 1-49, 2-54, 3-61, 4-70. Bowling: Ansari 6-1-35-2, Dave 2-0-2-0, Gupta 1-0-7-0, S Rao 3-0-17-1, Naik 1-0-9-0.
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