Ranji Trophy Final: Classy Jaffer puts Vidarbha in command

Veteran batsman Wasim Jaffer rose to the occasion as he smashed his 86th first-class fifty on his final appearance in the Ranji Trophy tournament. The Vidarbha team walks out on 206/4 at stumps on Day 2 at the Holkar stadium in Indore.

New Delhi: Veteran batsman Wasim Jaffer rose to the occasion as he smashed his 86^th first-class fifty on his final appearance in the Ranji Trophy tournament. The Vidarbha team walks out on 206/4 at stumps on Day 2 at the Holkar stadium in Indore.

Chasing a modest 296 runs, Vidarbha’s opening pair of Sanjay Ramaswamy and Faiz Fazal provided a solid 96-run stand for the first wicket. However, they couldn’t take their partnership to the three-digit mark as Delhi’s Akshay Sudan sent both the in-form batsmen back in the hut.

Later, Jaffer stitched a steady 73-run stand with Apoorv Wankhede but the latter gifted his wicket to Kulwant Khejroliya at the stroke of stumps. Akshay Wakhare had joined Jaffer before stumps and he is yet to open his account.

Earlier, Vidarbha’s pace sensation Rajneesh Gurbani claimed six-for including a hat-trick to bundle the Delhi side for 295 in the Ranji final. He also became the second bowler ever to bag a hat-trick in the final; game of Ranji Trophy.

Vidarbha will aim to consolidate further on Day 3 in an attempt to clinch their maiden Ranji Trophy title