Ranji Trophy: Services record 2nd-highest chase in tournament's history
What's the story
The Services cricket team has created history by pulling off the second-highest successful chase in the Ranji Trophy. The incredible achievement came during their last league match against Odisha at the DRIEMS Cricket Academy in Cuttack. Despite having a mere 19-run lead over Odisha after being bowled out for 199, Services went on to surpass Odisha's 2nd-innings score of 394 runs, setting a new target of 376 runs.
Historic stand
Record-breaking partnership leads successful chase
The successful chase was spearheaded by a phenomenal opening partnership between Shubham Rohilla and Suraj Vashisht. Their unbeaten stand lasted 85.4 overs, with Rohilla scoring his first-ever First-Class double-century (209*) and Vashisht scoring his maiden red-ball ton (154*). This record-breaking effort also set a new high for a fourth-innings team score without losing a wicket in First-Class cricket, at 376/0.
Deja vu
Services' victory mirrors last season's record chase
Interestingly, this achievement is reminiscent of a similar feat from last season when the Railways cricket team had set the record for the highest successful Ranji Trophy chase. They bettered Services' effort by a solitary run to chase down 378 against Tripura at the MBB Stadium in Agartala. This parallel highlights the competitive nature and high standards of performance in recent Ranji Trophy seasons.
Standings shift
Victory propels Services up in Elite Group A standings
The win, which gave Services a bonus point, has pushed them ahead of Odisha in the Elite Group A table. With 23 points, they now sit at the fourth position while Odisha are at the sixth place with 17 points. However, both teams have failed to qualify for the quarter-finals as J&K (32 points) and Mumbai (29 points) took the knockout spots from this group.