After Vidarbha batsmen had amassed 575 runs in their first innings, their bowlers joined the party by dismissing the two Himachal openers for 51 runs, leaving the visiting team still needing 217 runs to avoid an innings defeat on the final day.
If Dhruv Shorey was Vidarbha’s hero on Day 2, Yash Rathod stole the limelight on the third day with a brilliant 128. It was Rathod’s third hundred in as many matches this season. Rathod, who scored 118 and 0 against Pondicherry, made 135 & 56 against Uttarakhand in Vidarbha's previous match.
This was his fourth hundred for Vidarbha in Ranji Trophy, having made his debut against Gujarat last year in January, 2023.
On Friday morning he came to the wicket after Shorey fell for 125. And even though he lost his partner Karun Nair (85), he joined forces with his captain Akshay Wadkar (67) and added 107 runs for the fifth wicket.
Vidarbha lost three quick wickets after lunch, including that of Wadkar, but Rathod added 89 runs with ‘birthday boy’ Aditya Thakare (36) for the eighth wicket before combining with Akshay Wakhare (25) in a ninth wicket partnership of 57 runs.
Rathod’s 128 came off 152 balls with eight boundaries and four sixes. Vidarbha ended up with a first-innings lead of 268 runs. Harsh Dubey and Wakhare then struck once each to leave Himachal reeling.
Brief scores
Himachal 1st innings: 307 all out in 108 overs
Vidarbha 1st innings 575 all out in 140.1 overs (Atharva Taide 33, Dhruv Shorey 125, Danish Malewar 59, Karun Nair 85, Akshay Wadkar 67, Yash Rathod 128, Aditya Thakare 36; Divesh Sharma 4/99, Mukul Negi 3/116)
Himachal 2nd innings 51/2 in 15 overs
Match situation: Himachal trail by 217 runs