da imperador bet： Zaheer Khan delivered when it mattered most, picking up five wicketsfor just 16 runs on the final day to bowl Railways out for 201
Santhosh S23-Apr-2001Zaheer Khan delivered when it mattered most, picking up five wicketsfor just 16 runs on the final day to bowl Railways out for 201. Barodawon by 21 runs and took the Ranji Trophy for the fifth time since itsinception. Railways wilted under pressure to lose the match afterbeing in the driver’s seat for the best part of the contest, in thefinal played at Gujarat State Fertilizer Corporation Ground, Baroda,on Monday.Baroda had to dismiss the remaining six Railways wickets to take theRanji Trophy. Railways had their eyes set on knocking off the required132 runs to win. Without the services of Rakesh Patel, who is injured,Baroda had to rely on Zaheer Khan and he did not disappoint. Resumingon their overnight score of 91/4, Yere Goud (20) was given out, caughtbehind off the bowling of Zaheer Khan in the third over of the day.Goud’s bat was nowhere near the ball as the TV replays suggested.Railways were soon reduced to 107/6, when S Khanolkar (3) was trappedin front of the wicket by Khan. SV Wankhede and Santosh Sahu added 83runs for the seventh wicket, as they went about sweeping the spinnersValmik Buch and Bhoite to the leg side. Runs kept flowing as the twobatsmen kept playing across the line.Railways were 33 runs away from victory with four wickets in hand. Adesperate Jacob Martin had to call upon Zaheer Khan to deliver theimpossible. In the space of 26 balls Railways lost the remainingwickets; Sahu (42) was brilliantly caught by Martin off the bowling ofKhan.Murali Kartik who played a resilient knock in the first innings cameout to bat. He was adjudged caught behind off Bhoite after making justtwo runs. A visibly dejected Kartik had a few words of dissent andtook a wild swing with his bat at the stumps. The umpire had to callhim back and reprimand him. Kartik who has been in trouble for hiserratic behaviour will certainly be reported to the BCCI.Kulamani Parida (0) was caught by Buch at second slip off a ZaheerKhan bouncer. Parida was injured in the first innings when he was hitby a beamer from Khan and that must have been playing in his mind ashe took evasive action. The ball seemed to have brushed his gloves onits way to the fielder. It was a close call and as luck would have it,Baroda got the benefit of the doubt.The end came without a trace of doubt, Wankhede managing to get aninside edge onto his off stump for Khan’s fifth wicket of the morning.There was so much jubilation all around as the home crowd ran onto theground to celebrate a great victory. Baroda has had a good season andthere is nothing like winning India’s premier domestic championship,the Ranji Trophy.