THE ever-improving young seamer Aditya Thakare impressed once again claiming a five-wicket haul as Vidarbha trounced Maharashtra by ten wickets to grab seven points including the bonus in their sixth round of Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match in Pune on Monday. The big win kept the former two-time champions atop the group with 27 points with one match to go. In their final league game, Vidarbha play second-placed Haryana, who have 24 points, at home from Friday. Man of the match Thakare, who took two wickets on Sunday evening, added three more including the prized scalps of Kedar Jadhav and Ankit Bawne. And it was befitting that he ended Maharashtra innings by trapping Manoj Ingale first ball.

 

Maharashtra batters, who had defied Vidarbha bowlers the previous day and made 187-3, lost one of the overnight batters Ashay Palkar on last ball of first over of the day. Yash Thakur accounted for Digvijay Patil and then Thakare and left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey shared the remaining five. Skipper Jadhav (40; 50b, 6x4) Bawne (84; 184, 7x4) and Dhanraj Shinde (40; 67b, 3x4, 1x6) ensured that Vidarbha bat again setting a meagre target of 28 runs. Vidarbha openers Atharva Taide and Dhruv Shorey knocked off the required runs without being separated in just six overs.