Goswami, bowlers lead UP to 6th straight Vijay Hazare win

Kanpur: A superb ton by Abhishek Goswami followed by a disciplined bowling effort, led by Kuldeep Yadav, powered Uttar Pradesh to a comprehensive 54-run win over strong Vidarbha side in a Vijay Hazare Trophy pool match held at Niranjan Shah Stadium, Ground C, Rajkot, on Tuesday.The victory marked UP's sixth successive win in the tournament, with the team crossing the 300-run mark in all six matches. UP are now leading the pool with 24 points and have already qualified for the knockout stage. Put in to bat, UP posted an imposing 339 for five in their allotted 50 overs. Opener Abhishek Goswami added 71 runs with Aryan Jurel (24) for the opening wicket, followed by a 90-run partnership with Dhruv Chand Jurel (56) for the second wicket — the highest stand of the innings. Dhruv was dismissed by Harsh Dubey after scoring 56 off 61 balls, including five fours and a six.Goswami then combined with Priyam Garg to add 80 runs for the third wicket. Garg, showing growing confidence, contributed 67 runs, his highest score of the season, laced with six fours and three sixes. Goswami went on to register his first century of the current season, scoring 103 off 109 balls with 10 boundaries and two sixes, before being run out immediately after reaching the milestone. Skipper Rinku Singh provided late impetus with a brisk 57 off just 30 balls, hitting four fours and two sixes, before retiring hurt. For Vidarbha, Bhute, Thakur, Rekhade and Harsh Dubey picked up one wicket each. In reply, Vidarbha were restricted to 285 for nine despite a valiant century by opener A Mokhade. The chase got off to a shaky start as Atharva Taide (12) was bowled by Kartik Tyagi with the score at 43. Wickets fell at regular intervals, though Mokhade held firm, adding 44 runs with VV Rathod (19) and 52 runs with Samarth R. (17). Vidarbha were 160 for four in 30.3 overs at that stage. Wicketkeeper Akshay Wadkar then joined Mokhade, and the pair launched a counterattack, adding 85 runs for the sixth wicket in just 52 balls, the best partnership of the innings. The stand was broken when Mokhade was caught by Vipraj Nigam off Kuldeep Yadav's bowling. Mokhade scored a magnificent 147 off 117 balls, striking 17 fours and two sixes. For UP, Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3 for 52, while Kartik Tyagi and Vipraj Nigam claimed two wickets each.