Ranji Trophy: Services thrash Jharkhand by 9 wickets

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New Delhi, Oct 3: Riding on pace spearhead Diwesh Pathania's inspired spell of bowling in the three-day match, Services humbled Jharkhand by 9 wickets in a low-scoring Ranji Tophy Group C cricket encounter here today.

Pathania, who bagged 6 and 7 wickets in the first and second innings respectively, made things easy for the hosts, who completed the formalities on the final day after racing to their 77-run target with well over two session of play left.

Services though missed out on the bonus point after skipper Soumik Chatterjee was trapped LBW for 37 this morning. His opening partner Anshul Gupta remained unbeaten on 34 alongwith Ravi Chauhan (4 not out) to see his team through.

But it was Pathania, who hogged the limelight with a Man of the Match effort as his first innings outing at the Palam ground saw him picking 6 scalps and helping the side pack the visitors for 45 runs.

The Pathankot-born player then took 7 wickets bowl out the Kumar Deobrat-led side for 192 after Services also had a mediocre outing in the first innings -- 161 all out.

Services were comfortably placed at 5 for no loss at the end of second day's play, while chasing 77 for win.

Brief Scores: Jharkhand: 45 and 192 (Saurabh Tiwary 56, Virat Singh 51; Diwesh Pathania 7-64) Services: 161 and 78/1 in 29.5 overs (Soumik Chatterjee 37, Anshul Gupta 34 not out; Rahul Shukla 1-26).

PTI