Nair, Shorey, Wadkar give Vidarbha big lead

 

 

 

 

 

 

WITH professional finding their mojo back, young batters chipping in and in-form skipper continuing with his purple patch, Vidarbha batting is looking an altogether different outfit. India batter Karun Nair’s (128*; 205b, 18x4) second hundred in a row, Dhruv Shorey’s 92 (134b, 14x4) at top of the order, Akshay Wadkar’s (90; 101b, 12x4) yet another half century and contributions from home-bred Yash Rathod (42) and Mohit Kale (29) have given the two-time Ranji Trophy champions a huge 231 runs lead with four wickets still remaining and two full day’s play left in their Group A league match against Maharashtra in Pune on Saturday.

 

Starting the day at 111-1, Vidarbha amassed 439-6 in 106 overs scoring at over four runs per over. Shorey and southpaw Rathod added forty more runs in the first session before the latter got out (151-2). After nine more runs were added to the score, Shorey fell eight short of what could have been a well-deserved hundred. Nair and Kale then took the score to 234 as Vidarbha took first innings lead. Nair and Wadkar then frustrated Maharashtra bowlers no end collecting 149 for the fifth wicket as the visitors reached 383.

 

Wadkar, who has been consistently hitting half centuries had a great chance of making a hundred. Harsh Dubey (13*) was giving Nair the company when stumps were drawn. Vidarbha would most likely go for some quick runs and then give ample time to the bowlers to shoot out the rival batters for full points. Pradeep Dadhe and Ashay Palkar took two wickets each for the home side.