Ranji Trophy 2018-19, QF 1, Day 3: Wasim Jaffer’s double century pushes Vidarbha’s lead to 204 against Uttarakhand

Jaffer, who also crossed 19,000 runs in domestic cricket, smashed 26 boundaries during his 296-ball stay at the crease.

Wasim Jaffer took off from where he last left and cruised to a scintillating double century – his ninth 200-plus score in first-class cricket – as Vidarbha extended their lead to 204 in the Ranji Trophy 2018-19 quarter-final against Uttarakhand on Thursday. At stumps on the third day, Vidarbha were 559/6.

Wasim Jaffer 200* – Vidarbha vs Uttarakhand @ Nagpur #RanjiTrophy 2018-19 QF
His ninth 200+ fc score, incl two 300+ scores!
314* for Mumbai
218 for India A
267 for Mumbai
212 for India
202 for India
256 for Mumbai
301 for Mumbai
286 for Vidarbha
200* for Vidarbha#VidvUtt

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) January 17, 2019

Resuming their innings at 260/1, adrift by 95 runs, Sanjay Ramaswamy (overnight on 112) and Jaffer (overnight on 111) continued with their imperious partnership. The duo forged a whopping 304 runs for the second wicket before Ramaswamy departed for a fine 141 after he was caught by Vineet Saxena off DK Sharma in the 93^rd over.

Wasim Jaffer's double centuries for Vidarbha:

286 vs Rest of India, 2018
200* vs Uttarakhand, 2019

He is the first Indian and also the first Asian to score more than one double century after turning 40 in first-class cricket. #RanjiTrophy #QF1

— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) January 17, 2019

Jaffer and Ramaswamy’s partnership helped the defending champions to a crucial first-innings lead after Uttarakhand posted 355 in their first dig. (ALSO READ: Kerala crush Gujarat by 113 runs to enter semis for first time ever)

A bit on Wasim Jaffer – who scored his second double hundred post-40.
Got out on 206 against Uttarakhand.
In the 1993 Giles Shield quarter-final match, Jaffer (who scored 77) threw his wicket playing to mid-wicket. His brother Kaleem got angry & slapped him (1/n)#RanjiTrophy

— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) January 17, 2019

Two overs later, Sharma saw the back of Ganesh Satish, who departed for a six-ball duck. Mohit Kale too didn’t last for long and was dismissed by Malolan Rangarajan for 7.

Jaffer and Akshay Wadkar then conjured 68 runs for the fifth wicket to add to Uttarakhand’s woes. The 40-year-old batsman, who also has two triple centuries to his name in domestic cricket, departed after scoring 206 – his innings brought to an end by Mayank Mishra in the 119^th over.

Jaffer, who also crossed 19,000 runs in domestic cricket, smashed 26 boundaries during his 296-ball stay at the crease. (ALSO READ: Wasim Jaffer crosses 19,000 runs during 206 in quarters)

Wadkar and Aditya Sarwate then teamed up to notch 115 runs for the sixth wicket to see Vidarbha’s lead to over the 200-run mark. Wadkar fell two runs short of his fifth Ranji century after he was cleaned up by Mishra in the 155^th over.

Wadkar’s 167-ball knock was decorated with 14 boundaries.

At stumps, Sarwate, who reached his fifty, was unbeaten on 57, while Akshay Wakhare was batting on 3.

For Uttarakhand, Sharma was the most economical bowler, picking two for 87 in his 23 overs. Mishra returned with figures of two for 101 in his 23.5 overs.

Brief scores: Vidarbha 559/6 (Wasim Jaffer 206, Sanjay Ramaswamy 141, Akshay Wadkar 98, Aditya Sarwate 57*; DK Sharma 2/87) lead Uttarakhand 355 by 204 runs