Ranji Trophy: Auqib Nabi takes seven wkts for J&K but MP strike back
Indore (PTI): Jammu & Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi made a blazing impact by scalding former champions Madhya Pradesh with a seven-wicket haul as his team took a first-innings lead on day two of their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal here on Saturday.
The 29-year-old quick from remote Kreeri in Jammu & Kashmir returned superb figures of 7 for 40 as he single-handedly decimated Madhya Pradesh for 152, helping J&K take a 42-run first-innings lead against the former Ranji champions.
However, despite the lanky pacer's heroics, J&K still find themselves in a spot of bother, having slumped to 84 for 5 in their second innings -- an overall lead of just 126 in a low-scoring game heading into day three of the engrossing contest.
There was no doubt about the standout performer of the day as Nabi, still riding high after securing a multi-crore deal with Delhi Capitals for the upcoming Indian Premier League season, ran riot through the top and middle order, beginning his onslaught by dismissing Harsh Gawli (10) and Himanshu Mantri (0) in the 14th over.
Those two blows in the space of three deliveries left MP reeling at 2 for 34, which soon became 3 for 39 when left-arm pacer Sunil Kumar (3/47) shattered the stumps of Shubham Sharma, who managed just one run off 19 balls.
Auqib then removed MP skipper Rajat Patidar (10) and Venkatesh Iyer (22) to tighten the screws further.
He capped off his spell by dismissing Aryan Pandey and Ramveer Gurjar for ducks off successive deliveries in the 48th over, leaving Madhya Pradesh in complete disarray.
However, J&K's start to the second innings was equally disappointing as MP pace stalwart Kuldeep Sen (2/25), who had claimed a five-wicket haul in the first innings, struck back with a vengeance.
India all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer also made amends after going wicketless in the first innings, returning figures of 2 for 10 to reduce the opponents to 84 for 5 in 26 overs.
Madhya Pradesh, despite the disappointment of conceding the first-innings lead, are back in contention and will be eyeing an outright win if their batters perform better in the second essay.
Brief scores: Jammu & Kashmir 194 and 4 for 5 in 26 overs (Kuldeep Sen 2/25, Venkatesh Iyer 2/10). Madhya Pradesh 152 all out in 53.4 overs (Yash Dubey 58; Auqib Nabi 7/40, Sunil Kumar 3/47).
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Three injured in accident after private bus hits car in Karnataka's Mandya district
Mandya (Karnataka) (PTI): Three people were injured after a private tourist bus allegedly rammed into a car from behind in the early hours of Monday in Mandya district, police said.
The accident occurred around 4.30 am on the Mysuru-Bengaluru Highway near Budanur, within the limits of Mandya Rural police station.
According to police, the Kerala-bound bus was en route to Bengaluru via Mandya when it allegedly hit the car moving ahead, injuring its sole occupant, identified as Duraiswamy. Two passengers on the bus also sustained injuries. Following the accident, the bus allegedly crashed into a roadside barrier. All the injured were shifted to a hospital for treatment.
A case has been registered at Mandya Rural police station, and the bus has been seized. Further investigation is underway, police added.
