Rajkot: Arpit Vasavada’s 106 powered Saurashtra to a score of 384 for eight against Bengal on second day of the Ranji Trophy final here at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Tuesday.
Resuming day two at 206/5, Arpit Vasavada and Cheteshwar Pujara kept the scoreboard moving at a brisk pace for Saurashtra. The duo piled on the misery on Bengal’s bowlers and did not give them much respite. The duo’s partnership saw Vasavada bringing up his century and Pujara going past the half-century mark. Both batsmen stitched together a partnership of 142 runs and their vigil finally came to an end in the 144th over as Vasavada (106) was sent back to the pavilion by Shahbaz Ahmed, reducing Saurashtra to 348/6.
Soon after, Pujara (66) and Prerak Mankad (0) were also dismissed, and Saurashtra was reduced to 364/8 in the 153rd over. Chirag Jani (13*) and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja (13*) were the two unbeaten batsmen at close.
Earlier, on-field umpire C Shamshuddin was ruled out for the remainder of the final after he got hit around the lower abdomen area on the opening day of the title clash between Bengal and Saurashtra. Shamshuddin could not take the field on second and went for a check-up in a local hospital after his pain aggravated.
Shamshuddin’s replacement, Yashwant Barde, will join Padmanabhan on the third day.