Ranji final: Saxena marches on steadily

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A careful selection of objectives and a single minded pursuit to execute them paid well for Rajasthan on the second day of the Ranji Trophy final.

The visitors took the drab route to add a further 183 runs to finish at 404 for two at stumps. Vineet Saxena joined a list of illustrious names to have scored a double hundred in a Ranji final. The opener was undefeated on a laborious 207 (747m, 555b, 25x4, 1x6).

The first ten overs were a clear indicator of Rajasthan's game plan and one that set the tone. A total of six painful runs trickled in that period.

The first boundary came when Yo Mahesh offered a fuller length on the pads to Saxena who duly despatched it to the square leg fence. Moments like these were far and few and in turn drove the few faithfuls in the galleries to desolation.

J. Kaushik ran in with purpose and was successful in beating the bat on a few occasions. Saxena looked a touch positive during that phase, trying to deploy the square cut only to miss the ball on each occasion.

Aakash Chopra refused to get positive and paid a heavy price for it. Aushik Srinivas got the ball to hurry off the track to catch Chopra on the back foot. The former Indian player fell six short of his hundred after toiling hard for 307 minutes.

Skipper Hrishikesh Kanitkar started nervously. With only 15 runs in his last three innings, he was consumed by self doubts. Sunny Gupta and Aushik kept a tight leash and only an overthrow for four from M. Vijay released the pressure.

Saxena tried to better the run rate but was unable to. The primary motive was occupation of crease. Runs came only when there was nil risk. Aushik went over the wicket to invite the on-drive but the batsmen were in no mood to take chances.

The first session produced 51 runs in 36 overs and the post lunch session saw a brisk improvement. In 29 overs, 90 runs were added only for the rate to slacken in the final session again.

Kanitkar in spite of not being on top of his game managed to contribute 67 (208m, 146b, 6x4, 1x5), the drives through the cover cordon were appealing. It took a smart catch from Dinesh Karthik off Sunny Gupta to terminate the knock.

Robin Bist found it difficult to score against the guile of Aushik who displayed excellent energy on a draining day.

The youngster bowled 31 overs in the day and conceded only 50 runs. Saxena after being struck in the 190s finally brought his hundred with a streaky square drive of Mahesh. The day ended the way it started with the last ten overs producing 13 runs.

Credit to the TN bowlers for showing discipline on a docile track and not allowing the batsmen to run away with a massive score.

‘Not an ideal surface for Ranji final’

Besides wear and tear beyond the natural and shoddy application from the batsmen, the Chepauk track should play perfect host to a timeless match. At a time when spectator interest is dwindling for duration cricket, the game would have been better served with a track with more life in it.

Opener Aakash Chopra did not hide his disappointment. “I don’t think this is an ideal surface for a Ranji Trophy final.

If you see a bouncer is taken on the second bounce by the wicket keeper then you know that something is wrong.

It’s been a hard toil for the fast bowlers, spinners don’t have any response as well,” said Chopra who added that there is no joy for the batsmen as the lack of bounce is killing stroke play.

The spectators did not get anything in the bargain for braving the harsh sun. “This wicket makes for dull, boring sluggish cricket which isn’t great to play, and definitely not great to watch,” explained Chopra.

Two of the national selectors, Mohinder Amarnath and Narendra Hirwani witnessed the proceedings but they can take home little form what they saw.

“It is the biggest game in the domestic calendar and the wicket prepared is a huge disappointment. Can the selectors pick based on what they see on this track?” quipped former TN Spinner Sunil Subramaniam.

There was nothing much the bowlers could have done on this track and Sunil was right to point out that the main task of the bowlers was to restrict. “This surface is poor advertisement for the game but I must add that Aushik (Srinivas) showed excellent control.”

A run rate of 2.24 was proof of Rajasthan’s slow approach but Chopra hinted at quick runs on the third morning.

“We would like to accelerate and post a good total to put pressure on them. If they bat and overhaul the total then that's great and they will be worthy winners. It won’t be easy for us to bowl TN out.”