Jammu and Kashmir capitulated to Punjab a little over an hour after lunch on day four of the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal match at the Motibaugh ground.
The snow-fed state ran out of steam following a middle-order collapse engineered by V.R.V. Singh’s haul of five for 43, the sole sentinel of resistance being Hardeep Singh who remained unbeaten on 76. Kashmir failed to carry forward the industry and enterprise of the three previous days, its ambitions to make the semifinals fizzling out just 100 runs from target, ending in defeat and disappointment.
J & K suffered a jolt minutes into the morning session, Ian Dev Singh caught behind off Gony’s and the day’s second ball.
Its batsmen contended not only with some fiery pace but biting cold too, the entire fielding side sporting sweaters but for Sandeep Sharma.
With the racing sphere hissing through the air and off the strip, the duo of Hardeep and Ram Dayal did well in warding off the first hour’s dangers, the former taking two blows to his hand, one of them ricocheting to his helmet.
The sun declared a lockout too, showing no signs of turning up, till over an hour and a half had elapsed. Struck on his right hand, Hardeep retired hurt, paving the way for Parvez Rasool’s entry to the middle. The Kashmir captain perished soon, trapped in front by V.R.V. Singh, his exit proving costlier than it appeared to be then and taking the wind out of Kashmir’s campaign. Off the next delivery, new man in Obaid Haroon fell in identical fashion.
Handicapped by hits to his person, Hardeep held on grimly, braving the barrage not just from the burly V.R.V. Singh but from Gony too. The slightly built Sikh stood in stark contrast to the strapping Punjab pacemen, who revelled on the strip that held firm and true right through.
Last-ditch efforts came from tailenders Mohammad Mudhasir and Umar Nazir, each of whom helped himself to a six. They could only however delay the inevitable.
The scores:
Punjab — 1st innings: 304
Jammu & Kashmir — 1st innings: 277
Punjab — 2nd innings: 296
Jammu & Kashmir — 2nd innings: Adil Reshi c Khera b V.R.V. Singh 34, Bandeep Singh c (sub) Choudhary b Gony 4, Hardeep Singh (not out) 76, Ian Dev Singh c Khera b Gony 18, Ram Dayal b Sandeep 14, Parvez Rasool lbw b V.R.V. Singh 10, Majid Dar lbw b V.R.V. Singh 10, Obaid Haroon lbw b V.R.V. Singh 0, Samiullah Beig c Ravi Inder b V.R.V. Singh 2, Mohammad Mudhasir c Khera b Gony 22, Umar Nazir c Ravi Inder b Harbhajan 15. Extras (b-8, lb-6, nb- 3, w-1) 18; Total (in 64.4 overs) 223.
Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-55, 3-80, 4-123, 5-135, 6-135, 7-146, 8-149, 9-202 .
Punjab bowling: Sandeep Sharma 17-3-63-1, Manpreet Gony 17-5-43-3, V.R.V. Singh 19-3-43-5, Harbhajan Singh 7.4-1-36-1, Gurkeerat 2-0-14-0, Yuvraj 2-0-10-0.
