All-round Rajasthan cruise to title

Rajasthan 621 (Saxena 257, Chopra 94, Srinivas 4-192,) & 204 for 5 dec (Bist 92, Prasanna 3-31) drew with Tamil Nadu 295 (Karthik 150, Rituraj 4-76) & 8 for 2 (Gajendra 2-5). Rajasthan won on the first-innings lead

Rajasthan celebrate their second consecutive Ranji Trophy title © K Sivaraman

Rajasthan became only the fifth team to win the Ranji Trophy in successive seasons, as they beat Tamil Nadu on the first-innings lead in Chennai. The defending champions had effectively won the match on the penultimate day, when they had bowled out Tamil Nadu to gain a 326-run lead. Having opted to bat again, the visitors extended the lead to 530 runs. Then to rub further salt on Tamil Nadu's wounds, Gajendra Singh trapped Yo Mahesh and Abhinav Mukund leg before in successive overs, before both teams decided to call off the match before the mandatory overs started with no outright result possible.

On Sunday, the main reason Rajasthan had not enforced the follow-on was to provide the pair of Vineet Saxena and Robin Bist the chance to get to 1000 runs in the season. Aakash Chopra did not show any inclination to stay out in the middle, at least on the evidence of his exit: he went for a pull shot from outside off, without getting behind the line of the delivery from J Kaushik. The bowler finished an easy catch after Chopra's top edge ballooned over his head.

Saxena, whose first-innings' marathon 907-minute 257 was the third-highest score this season, could add only three more runs to his total of 10 though. He was the second wicket to fall in the morning, after Chopra. He had started the innings 116 runs adrift of the landmark but was bowled trying to tap the ball away without moving his feet against a straight delivery from R Prasanna.

But Bist did not miss out - he became the 12th man in Ranji Trophy history to log 1000 runs in a calendar year. He reached the milestone by pushing a single to fine leg off Kaushik. He had already notched his second fifty of the match by hitting a nicely-timed cover drive of part-time slow bowler M Vijay. What Bist missed was his fifth century of the season, by eight runs, when he played a tired slog against Prasanna that was easily pouched by Mukund at midwicket. Still Bist, with four tons under his belt, finished the tournament with the most number of centuries.

In addition to having the top two run-makers this season, Rajasthan added one more feather to their cap when Pankaj Singh, who had taken two wickets in the Tamil Nadu innings, finished as the third-highest wicket-taker with 34 victims. Only TP Sudhindra (Madhya Pradesh, 40) and Ashok Dinda (Bengal, 37), were ahead of him.

As for the hosts, Tamil Nadu had to finish second to Rajasthan for the second straight year. Last year Rajasthan had denied the visitors a first-innings lead in the semi-final in Jaipur. This time it was much worse, as Tamil Nadu remained mute spectators all through the five days. Their biggest problem was the failure of their formidable top order, which showed no character or resilience barring the battling century from Dinesh Karthik.

The only plus point for the hosts from the final was the bowling of Aushik Srinivas, the 18-year-old left-arm spinner, who bowled a record number of overs comprising long, attacking spells that did not allow the batsmen to play their shots with freedom. © ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Rest of India win Irani Cup outright

Rest of India 663 (Dhawan 177, Rahane 152) and 354 for 2 dec (Dhawan 155, Abhinav 154) beat Rajasthan 400 (Bist 93, Parida 85, Menaria 79, Ojha 5-86) and 213 (Khatri 53, Ojha 4-60) by 404 runs

	Shikhar Dhawan with his Player-of-the-Match awards© ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Rest of India completed a 404-run win against Rajasthan on the fifth day of the Irani Cup in Jaipur. Rajasthan began the day with all their wickets intact but Rest of India, who had already won the trophy on the first-innings lead, got rid of the hosts' top order in the morning session to set up the outright win.

Rajasthan's openers had a nervy start. In the second over of the day, Aakash Chopra edged Vinay Kumar but the ball fell short of slip. Vineet Saxena edged Varun Aaron for four soon after. The close calls sent the pair into defensive mode and they played out five maidens. Just when Rajasthan seemed to have safely negotiated the early burst from Rest of India - Saxena guided Umesh Yadav past point, while Chopra drove Aaron through covers - Pragyan Ojha struck. He got Chopra to drive at a flighted delivery and took the edge.

Hrishikesh Kanitkar, the Rajasthan captain, did not last long, edging a bouncy Yadav delivery that was angled into him to wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel. Rest of India struck twice in quick succession again before lunch, with Vinay bowling Saxena and Ojha trapping Robin Bist lbw, to take control of the game.

For a while, Rashmi Parida and Ashok Menaria looked like they would hold off Rest of India like they did in the first-innings. But the resistance was cut short when Menaria lost his composure and went after a short, wide ball from Yadav, only to offer Parthiv another catch. Rest of India continued to knock off the wickets in pairs, as Rahul Sharma - who did not have the best day, spraying the ball around a bit - had Rohit Jalani lbw for a duck. Sharma picked up a couple of wickets after that, though, as Parida holed out and Deepak Chahar had his off stump uprooted.

Madhur Khatri produced the only innings of note for Rajasthan, a boundary-studded 53. Khatri cut and pulled, and managed a few drives down the ground and through the covers, before edging to Abhinav Mukund at third slip. Ojha wrapped up the match two overs later, as Sunil Mathur charged down the track, missed and was stumped. It was Ohja's fourth wicket, to go with his first-innings five-for. Rest of India opener Shikhar Dhawan, who struck two blistering centuries in the match, was named Player of the Match. © ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Dhawan, Rahane put Rest of India in charge

Rest of India 400 for 3 (Dhawan 177, Rahane 117*) v Rajasthan

	Ajinkya Rahane was one of two centurions for Rest of India on the first day © ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Two centuries - an aggressive, substantial one from Shikhar Dhawan and a solid, unbeaten one from Ajinkya Rahane - almost ensured that Rest of India couldn't lose the Irani Cup outright. They scored quickly on the opening day against Ranji Trophy champions Rajasthan, lost only three wickets, and amassed 400 by stumps in Jaipur.

Dhawan scored 177 off 165 balls, an innings that contained 32 fours and one six. Having been dropped from India's one-day squad after the tour of West Indies, Dhawan did not waste this opportunity to stake his claim again. He added 190 runs for the second wicket with Rahane, who adapted smoothly to the change in format. Having impressed during the limited-overs games in England, Rahane switched into five-day mode and batted with patience to end the day on 117 off 212 balls. He will have to revert to one-day mode against England after the Irani Cup tie is settled.

Rajasthan's bowlers struggled, with last season's hero Deepak Chahar going wicketless for 120 runs in 21 overs. His new-ball partner Aniket Choudhary also conceded more than four an over in 17 overs.

Dhawan began to attack as early as the day's fifth over, when he hit four consecutive boundaries off Chahar. The first two were driven through mid-off, the next two pulled and cut as the bowler dropped short. The other opener, Abhinav Mukund, wasn't as quick, his first fours coming in the 12th over when he drove and glided Choudhary down the ground and through gully. Dhawan reached his 50 off the first ball after drinks, off 51 balls.

Rajasthan's first bit of relief came in the 19th over, when Mukund edged medium-pacer Sumit Mathur on to his stumps. Rest of India were 77 for 1. Choudhary should have dismissed Dhawan, on 80, in the final over before lunch but Chahar misjudged the top-edge at long-leg. The Dhawan-Rahane stand took Rest of India to lunch on 122 for 1.

There was little joy for Rajasthan in the second session. Dhawan got to his century off 119 deliveries, sweeping offspinner Madhur Khatri for two, and celebrated with a six over midwicket next ball. He and Rahane added 145 runs to their partnership and only shortly before tea were they separated. Dhawan had clouted Chahar down the ground for three successive boundaries but in the next over, from Khatri, he missed a slog sweep and was bowled. Rest of India went into tea on 280 for 2.

Choudhary began the final session positively for Rajasthan, trapping Manish Pandey lbw for 16. The dismissal cut short a bright start, for Pandey had struck four boundaries during his brief stay. Rahane then led a period of consolidation for Rest of India, moving steadily towards his century, which he reached with a straight drive to the boundary off Chahar. He had a solid partner in Parthiv Patel, who was unbeaten on 55, and they added 113 runs for the fourth wicket before stumps. © ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Rajasthan lift first Ranji Trophy

Rajasthan 394 (Bist 77, Kanitkar 61, Bhatt 5-103)and 341 (Menaria 101, Parida 89) drew with Baroda 361 (Pinal 77, Chahar 4-79) and 28 for 4 (Chahar 3-15)

In pic: Rajasthan are jubilant after winning their first ever Ranji Trophy © ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Rajasthan became the newest team to etch their name on the Ranji Trophy, shutting Baroda out after taking the first-innings lead with a clinical display that didn't give an inch to the hosts on the final day. It capped an improbable season for Rajasthan, who rose from being last year's bottom-placed team in the Plate League to become Ranji champions in their ninth appearance in the final. Rajasthan's strength this season has been their ability to bat big, and today it was the lower order that batted Baroda into helpless disappointment.

For Baroda to have had a sniff, they needed to dismiss Rajasthan quickly. They eventually did bowl them out, but not before the visitors' lower order had frustrated them for almost two sessions. Though Ashok Menaria - who went soon after scoring his third century in three knockout games - and Rashmi Parida fell within the first hour, the tail defended stoutly in the company of wicketkeeper Rohit Jhalani, who surprisingly came in at No. 11. Each run was loudly cheered by the Rajasthan supporters and association officials, and as the lead grew, Baroda's shoulders drooped.

The Baroda bowlers were already tired after having spent more than 200 overs on the field over four days, and though they toiled away, the game was slowly slipping from their grasp. Murtuja Vahora steamed in, Bhargav Bhatt kept going on for 45 overs, but the others were steady at best. The bowlers' disappointment gave way to angry stares as half-chances went by the close-in fielders, and the last-wicket partnership between Jhalani and Pankaj Singh comprehensively deflated them. Jhalani and Pankaj added 59 in 153 deliveries, but it was the prolonged ease with which they milked the bowling that highlighted Rajasthan's domination.

When Pankaj was finally bowled by debutant Abhijit Karambelkar, the hosts needed an impossible 375 in 29 overs. Rajasthan were not done yet though, and Pankaj and Deepak Chahar gave Baroda a torrid time, striking thrice in successive overs to leave them reeling at 21 for 3. Chahar showcased his prodigious ability to swing the ball, getting a delivery to move away after angling it on leg stump, and Swapnil Singh could only edge it to a diving Aakash Chopra at second slip.

The teams decided to call off proceedings after 14 overs in the Baroda innings, but not before Pankaj and Chahar had once again displayed their worth as a strike pair, ending the tournament with 83 victims. There was no shame in defeat for Baroda, for Rajasthan were clearly the stronger and more experienced side. They would however, look back at the two dropped chances yesterday as the moment when they let the Ranji Trophy slip out of their hands, and Rajasthan never gave them a second look at it. The eventual champions knew they were the better team, but they also proved it on the big stage. -ESPNcricinfo

Rajasthan set Baroda big task

Baroda 73 for 1 (Kolsawala 46*) trail Rajasthan 394 (Bist 77, Kanitkar 61, Bhatt 5-103) by 321 runs with 9 wickets remaining

In pic: Bhargav Bhatt picked up five wickets but had to bowl 43 overs to get them © ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Bhargav Bhatt toiled his way to a well-deserved five-wicket haul, but could not prevent Rajasthan from getting close to 400, a total which looks competitive on a wicket where uneven bounce is in play, with numerous deliveries failing to rise above ankle height. Jaykishan Kolsawala led a strong reply for Baroda, but Rajasthan managed to remove his opening partner Connor Williams, and will think they hold the initiative against a line-up that is thin on experience.

That the second day saw more action after the dullness that had characterised the first was due to the batsmen taking more initiative, and the bowlers getting more help from the surface. While Bhatt was rewarded for his efforts, Murtuja Vahora got the ball to nip around and hurried the batsmen, though that was not reflected in his 36 wicketless overs that went for 108 runs.

None of Rajasthan's batsmen made a hundred, but the intent today was to look for every opportunity to score, and they added almost the same number of runs they had yesterday in fewer than two-thirds of the overs. The approach was characterised by Ashok Menaria, whose quick 45 inched Rajasthan close to the psychological mark of 400, even as the left-arm spinners Bhatt and Swapnil Singh were getting the ball to turn and bounce.

Menaria's innings was crucial as it came after Rajasthan had lost the pair of nightwatchman Vivek Yadav and Robin Bist, the latter to a ripper from Bhatt, with the score on 269. Bowling from over the wicket, Bhatt pitched one in the rough outside the right-hander's leg stump, and got it to turn sharply past the angled forward push from Bist to uproot his off stump. Like yesterday, there was turn, but it was sharper, and the unevenness of the surface showed when consecutive deliveries from offspinner Aditya Waghmode took off to reach shoulder height, the second ball beating wicketkeeper Pinal Shah as well.

Another wicket or two at that stage, and Rajasthan would have struggled to reach 350. Menaria showed the importance of being positive on this track, starting with two swept fours off Bhatt that went either side of the deep-backward square leg fielder. In the next over, he hit Waghmode for fours on either side of the wicket, and two overs later, looted 12 runs from Swapnil Singh with a six over midwicket and a four through extra cover. With Menaria dismantling the bowling and Rashmi Parida looking solid at the other end, Rajasthan added 120 runs in the first session, and were eyeing a total in the region of 450.

Baroda, who had started to wilt under Menaria's assault, came back with purpose after lunch, tying down the batsmen. Bhatt got Menaria pushing hard at one that gripped and bounced to take the inside edge, the ball then striking the pad before ending up in the hands of forward short leg.

Parida ensured Rajasthan did at least get close to 400, playing safely, but using the steer, glance and sweep to pick up boundaries. He brought up his half-century with another sweep off Bhatt, but the tail did not offer him much support. Rohit Jhalani got a beauty from Sankalp Vohra, and Deepak Chahar and Pankaj Singh went to back to deliveries that came in and were bowled, though the ball that got Pankaj did not get up above his ankle. Bhatt bowled Parida with a quick yorker-length delivery in his 43rd over for his fourth five-wicket haul in ten first-class games.

Pankaj and Chahar have formed a potent new-ball combination this season, but Kolsawala and Williams negotiated them safely. Both chose to defend the seamers mostly on the back foot. Kolsawala was a treat to watch, especially when he drove straight down the ground and through extra cover. An overly defensive approach could have played into Rajasthan's hands, but Kolsawala made sure that didn't happen.

Rajasthan did end the day on a positive note, when Williams pushed at legspinner Yadav, playing for turn where there wasn't any, and Aakash Chopra took a sharp diving chance at slip. The pressure of a final showed on Kedar Devdhar, who had got a pair in the semi-final, and looked anxious to get off the mark. But Rajasthan made him wait for 23 deliveries, and he finally got off the mark courtesy a misfield at mid-on. Rajasthan will hope the uneven nature of the track creates further doubts in the minds of the Baroda batsmen tomorrow, for whom 394 appears miles away at the moment. -ESPNcricinfo

Kanitkar, Bist build platform for Rajasthan

Rajasthan 198 for 3 (Kanitkar 61, Bist 56*) v Baroda

In pic: Hrishikesh Kanitkar scored 61 to help Rajasthan build a solid platform on the first day of the Ranjit Trophy final © ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Baroda did what Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu had done against Rajasthan, opting to bowl, and just like in those two matches, the visitors built a solid platform on the first day of the Ranji Trophy final, albeit at a snail's pace. On a dry and flat wicket that, contrary to expectations, played low and slow, Rajasthan set themselves up for a big score on the second day, though captain Hrishikesh Kanitkar's late dismissal evened things out a bit.

Kanitkar and Robin Bist led a calculated batting effort, in which each of the four specialist batsman played more than 100 deliveries. The Rajasthan batsmen blunted the inexperienced Baroda attack and inched along at around two runs per over for the first two sessions. Playing themselves in was the target, and Rajasthan's intent to bat big was evident from the fact that only one boundary came in the first 20 overs. But Baroda did not possess the venom to prise out the watchful openers on the flat deck.

The wind that was expected to aid movement did not arrive, the bald wicket offered no help either, and left-arm seamer Sankalp Vohra's first delivery died down on its way to wicketkeeper Pinal Shah. Pinal ultimately stood up to two of the three Baroda seamers, Vohra and debutant Abhijit Karambelkar. Only Murtuja Vahora managed to get decent carry, running in hard whenever he was given the ball. It was too much to expect 20-year-old left-arm spinner Bhargav Bhatt to take the wickets on a first-day track that did not take much turn, though he toiled for 23 overs.

The openers fell against the run of play after having played themselves in. Aakash Chopra and Vineet Saxena had looked in no trouble from the outset, looking to leave as many deliveries as possible outside the off stump, and defending when they had to. Chopra, in fact, did not hit a boundary till his 64th delivery. He fell trying to sweep a delivery from Bhatt that was a touch full for the shot, and Saxena was run out freakishly, having walked out of the crease to do some gardening while the ball was adjudged to be still in play.

Coming together at 73 for 2, Kanitkar and Bist consolidated, adding 117 in a partnership that had begun to assume threatening proportions when Kanitkar fell four overs before stumps, looking for a scoring opportunity and guiding an Aditya Waghmode delivery to a diving Connor Williams at slip.

Kanitkar was the most positive of the batsmen, driving and cutting cleanly whenever he got a loose delivery, and offering a dead bat to the others. Bist was extremely cautious to begin with, remaining on 7 for 26 deliveries before he gave Waghmode a sudden charge and lifted him over midwicket for his first boundary. Both batsmen looked to step out against the spinners, especially after tea, as the ball was not coming on to the bat.

Despite Kanitkar's fall, Bist was in complete control at the other end, and his wicket will be key. If Baroda find a way to bundle Rajasthan out quickly and take strike early on Wednesday, they could make the visitors pay for their slow approach. -ESPNcricinfo

Rajasthan enter final despite Badrinath's heroics

Rajasthan 552 for 7 decl (Chopra 139, Menaria 106, Kanitkar 100*) drew with Tamil Nadu 385 (Badrinath 175) and 2 for 0
Scorecard

In pic: Badrinath's heroic effort went in vain as Rajasthan roared to their first Ranji final © ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Rajasthan's dream is still alive. They couldn't dislodge Tamil Nadu's wall, S Badrinath, but dismantled the rest brick by brick to enter their first Ranji final since the 1973-74 season. The seamers, Pankaj Singh, Deepak Chahar and Sumit Mathur, sparkled on a docile track to apply the squeeze, and the legspinner Vivek Yadav ran through the lower order to shove Tamil Nadu out of the competition. Tamil Nadu, if they didn't get bowled out, had to score 272 runs in 90 overs on the final day to go through based on net run-rate but they were shot out in the last session.

For 10 hours and five minutes, Badrinath resisted everything hurled at him: outswingers, inswingers, bouncers, leg breaks, sliders, sledges, official warning from the umpire for repeatedly pulling out of strike, his team-mates' self-destructive ways, and his opponent's determined resolve. They couldn't out him at all but Rajasthan found a way around him to achieve their dream.

There was nothing in the pitch but the seamers created venom in the air to do the job. The 18-year old Chahar, playing his debut season, swung the ball both ways, Pankaj mixed his outswingers with the nip-backers, the balding Mathur punctuated his probing line around off stump with bouncers and Yadav flung in his quickish legbreaks and sliders to hustle Tamil Nadu.

It was a fascinating day's play. You could feel the pressure Tamil Nadu were under, and you could sense the intense desire and ambition of their opponents. Badrinath v Rajasthan was a riveting battle. Like yesterday, the bowlers complained to the umpires that Badrinath was not ready when they were ready to bowl. Like yesterday, the umpires chastened Badrinath. "The moment the bowler turns around, you have to be ready," Hariharan told Badrinath. "This is the last friendly warning." A visibly agitated Pankaj had a few words to say. Badrinath moved away again a short while later, as Mathur released the ball, and was handed his official warning. The heat was truly on. If it affected him, Badrinath didn't show it and knuckled down further but he was let down by his team-mates.

R Sathish, who had come in after the overnight batsman K Vasudevadas had inside-edged an outswinger on to his stumps, did all the hard work before throwing his wicket away. Chahar had him in a tangle- the big inswingers repeatedly rapped him on the pad and the outswingers kept teasing the outside edge- but Sathish fought on grittily. Every time he was beaten, he looked at Badrinath and flashed a smile. The pair saw through the first session but the self-destruction set in the second. Sathish went for a flamboyant on-the-up drive off Mathur but hit it straight to short extra cover to leave Tamil Nadu wobbling at 283 for 5.

It was in these kind of big moments that Tamil Nadu have choked in the past and more brain freeze was in store today. C Ganapathy, promoted ahead of Suresh Kumar, was peppered by bouncers from Mathur and threw his wicket away by pulling one straight to deep square-leg. Suresh Kumar hung around for a while and the pressure started to tell on everyone. When the score was 312, Badrinath charged down the track to Yadav and failed to connect but Rohit Jhalani fluffed a simple stumping. Yadav, though, kept chugging along and soon trapped Suresh Kumar lbw with a slider on the off stump line.

Enter L Balaji. He stuck adhesively to the crease for 76 minutes and was dropped on 14 by Jhalani but failed to connect with a sweep and fell lbw to Yadav. The No.10, R Suthesh, combusted spontaneously on arrival: He tried to slog Yadav and miscued it to mid-on and S Sam got into a mix-up with Badrinath and was run out by a direct hit by Robin Bist from deep midwicket to trigger celebrations in the Rajasthan camp. Badrinath trudged back in disappointment.

Rajasthan rubbed the salt into wounds by making Tamil Nadu follow-on and an over later it was all over. History was calling and the desert boys were all ears. Rajasthan now face Baroda in a final that not many would have predicted. It's been that kind of a season. -ESPNcricinfo

Rajasthan to meet TN, Baroda vs Karnataka in Ranji semis

Giant slayers Rajasthan will meet Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy semifinals at home in Jaipur while last year's runners-up Karnataka will clash with Baroda in the latter's backyard, according to the Cricket Board. Both the semi finals would be held from January 3-6, 2011.

Rajasthan, in fact, made it to the last four as one of the two qualifiers from the plate division and knocked out 39-time champions and holders Mumbai by virtue of their first innings lead in the quarter-final that ended in a draw today at Jaipur.

Tamil Nadu edged out Haryana on net-run-rate after the inconclusive weather-hit quarter-final in which even the first innings of both teams could not be completed at Rohtak.

Karnataka defeated plate division qualifiers Madhya Pradesh by five wickets at Indore while Baroda took a crucial first innings lead against Railways at home in the other two quarter-finals respectively.

The winners of the two semi finals would meet in the summit contest to be held from January 11-15. PTI

Rajasthan knock Mumbai out, to clash with TN in semis

JAIPUR: The match was all but over by the end of second day itself but Rajasthan players had to wait till Monday evening when they officially knocked out defending champions Mumbai to enter the semi-finals of the Ranji Trophy. They will now meet Tamil Nadu in the semi-finals which will be played at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium from January 3-6.





Having already batted Mumbai out by the second day and further consolidating with a healthy 232 run lead by the penultimate day, it was just a case of going through the motions on the final day. Former India U-19 captain Ashok Menaria completed his maiden century. Menaria scored 121-- an innings that was studded with eight boundaries and five towering sixes. He was the last man out but only after Rajasthan has batted for another couple of hours and taken their total to a mammoth 589.

Thus Rajasthan ensured their passage in the final with a huge 337-run first innings lead. Mumbai scored 290 for one in their inconsequential second innings where Rohit Sharma (68, 72 balls, 11x4) opened with Sahil Kukreja (100 not out, 155 balls, 11x4, 1x6. But Ajinkya Rahane provided some entertainment scoring an unbeaten 102 off only 69 deliveries with 12 boundaries and three sixes. It was rather easy pickings for Mumbai batsmen as Vivek Yadav and Ashok Menaria did the bulk of the scoring.

If Rajasthan have reached where they are today, credit should go to three outstation pros Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Aakash Chopra and Rashmi Ranjan Parida who have guided a young team and instilled self belief in them that they can beat the best in the business. Not to forget the kind of defining performances they put up in crunch games. Like Chopra's triple hundred in the Plate Group semi-finals against Maharashtra or Kanitkar's timely century against Mumbai-- they have risen to the occasion. The bowlers led by Pankaj Singh also performed well within their limitations.

The emergence of a fine swing bowler in Deepak Chahar whose unbelievable debut of eight for 10 against Hyderabad will definitely be one of the highlights of this edition. If they can upset Tamil Nadu, who have had a lucky ride in the tournament so far, it will be another glorious chapter to their fairytale season.

Mumbai start as overwhelming favourites vs Rajasthan

JAIPUR: A keen tussle is on cards as an upbeat Rajasthan take on defending champions Mumbai in a Ranji Trophy quarterfinal, which starts at Sawai Man Singh stadium from tomorrow. For Mumbai, anything less than title will be considered as a failure and Wasim Jaffer's boys will try to ensure that there are not many hiccups on their road to triumph. On the other hand, Rajasthan who have performed well in the Plate Group will hope to carry the momentum as they face a formidable opposition in Mumbai.

It will be an onerous task for the Rajasthan bowlers as they face a batting line-up that boasts of battle hardened domestic pro like Jaffer who has been scoring tons of runs. There is talented Rohit Sharma who will be eager to remind the selectors that he is very much in contention for a World Cup berth.

Ajinkya Rahane, who has had quiet season by his standards will like to make most of this opportunity after being named in the 30-member probables for the World Cup. With hard-hitting players like Surya Kumar Yadav and Abhishek Nayar in the middle and Iqbal Abdulla and Ajit Agarkar to follow, Mumbai remain overwhelming favourites to win the match. However Mumbai will miss the services of medium pacer Dhawal Kulkarni who is out with injury. For Rajasthan, a lot will depend on the three outstation pros.

Opener Aakash Chopra who has scored a triple hundred in the Plate semi-final, veteran Hrishikesh Kanitkar and former Orissa batsman Rashmi Ranjan Parida form the backbone of their batting. Also with all-rounder Robin Bisht and wicketkeeper Rohit Jhalani in the team, hosts' batting looks a decent one on paper. It will also be a test for young Deepak Chahar who came into spotlight after his sensational spell of eight for 10 during the first match of the season when Hyderabad were bowled out for 21. Chahar will share the new ball with India discard Pankaj Singh. Mumbai coach Praveen Amre feels that for Mumbai, the competition starts with the start of knock-out stages.

Skipper Jaffer however sounded cautious and said that they don't intend to take Rajasthan lightly. "They (Rajasthan) have been playing good cricket and that's why they have reached this stage. Their professionals have done well themselves and guided the youngsters too," said Jaffer who has scored 728 runs and is second in the list of highest run-getter behind Subramanium Badrinath of Tamil Nadu. "Playing Pankaj Singh and Deepak Chahar would be a good challenge," Jaffer said adding that Dhawal's absence won't make much of a difference. On the other hand, the Rajasthan captain Kanitkar feels that Mumbai will be under more pressure as they are favourites. "We have nothing to lose.

We are the underdogs. Though it is a big occasion for us as we have risen from the nadir to zenith but for us it will be another match," said Kanitkar. The hosts have opted for a seaming track keeping the rivals' experienced batting line-up.