Ranji Trophy semis: Umesh Yadav and Yash Thakur claim 3-fers
Vidarbha bowlers did a decent job on Day 2 against Madhya Pradesh in their 2024 Ranji Trophy semi-final clash. The hosts made sure that Madhya Pradesh didn't run away with the game and bundled them out for 252. Umesh Yadav and Yash Thakur claimed crucial three-wicket hauls. Despite the heroics, MP earned a vital 82-run lead in the first innings.
Umesh scalped three crucial wickets
Umesh was excellent with the new ball as he removed Yash Dubey on Day 1. He returned on Day 2 to dismiss the experienced Shubham Sharma cheaply. Umesh kept bowling in the right channels and made life difficult for the MP batters. Eventually, he cleaned up the tail by removing Kulwant Khejroliya. Umesh finished with 3/40 from 19.3 overs (ER: 2.10).
A sensational bowling display from Yash Thakur
Partnering with his experienced campaigner, Thakur also made a mark against MP. He bowled with a lot of discipline and returned with figures of 3/51 from 20 overs. His wicket-to-wicket bowling saw him secure two successive LBW dismissals of Harsh Gawali and Venkatesh Iyer. Later, he knocked over Kumar Kartikeya. Overall, Yash has returned with 18 wickets this season from six matches at 28.
A look at the other bowlers
Apart from Umesh and Yash, the other Vidarbha bowlers also did reasonably well. Aditya Sarwate returned with 1/48 and his only victim was Anubhav Agarwal. Meanwhile, Wakhare bowled brilliantly and outfoxed centurion Himanshu Mantri and also claimed the wicket of Saransh Jain. He finished with figures of 2/68. Yash also came up with a run-out of Sagar Solanki.
A look at the match
After bundling out Vidarbha for 170 in the first innings, Madhya Pradesh were aiming to post a massive total. However, they lost Dubey inside the first 10 overs before Mantri and Gawali added 61 runs to steady the ship. Following a collapse, Mantri added 52 and 73 runs with Solanki and Jain respectively as MP posted 252. Vidarbha are 13/1 in their second innings.
A look at Umesh and Yash's FC numbers
Umesh owns 378 wickets from 122 FC matches at an average below 30. The experienced campaigner owns 15 fifers and 14 four-wicket hauls (10w: 2). In 2024 Ranji, he has 27 scalps at 25.03. Meanwhile, Yash has claimed 58 scalps from 21 FC matches at an average below 28. He has returned with a solitary fifer and five four-wicket hauls in red-ball cricket.
