Rinku Singh played a superb knock of 176 runs from 248 balls for Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday (November 19) to help them secure a crucial first innings lead of five runs against Tamil Nadu in the ongoing Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match at Sri Ramakrishna College of Arts and Science Ground in Coimbatore. Rinku walked out to bat at No. 5 for Uttar Pradesh in the first innings on Tuesday, and after remaining unbeaten on 98 at the end of the second day’s play, he not just completed his ninth century in first-class cricket on Wednesday but also helped his domestic side secure at least three points.
During his stay at the crease in the first innings, Rinku, who is a regular member of India’s T20I team, hammered 17 fours and 6 sixes and added 53 runs
for the seventh wicket with Shivam Sharma (22), 59 runs for the eighth wicket with Kartik Yadav (20) and 33 runs for the ninth wicket with Aaqib Khan (14 not out from 29 balls).
He was sent back to the pavilion by P Vidyuth on the fifth ball of the 143rd over. In an attempt to play big shot down the ground, Rinku was caught by Sonu Yadav. At the time of his dismissal, UP were 12 runs short of Tamil Nadu’s first innings total of 455. But after Rinku’s wicket, Aaqib took the matter into his own hands and, together with Kunal Tyagi (5 runs from six balls), helped UP score five more runs than TN’s total.
For the hosts, P Vidyuth picked up 4 wickets for 73 runs in 28 overs, and three UP batters were sent back to the pavilion by Tamil Nadu skipper R Sai Kishore.
In the Ranji Trophy, if the match ends in a draw, then the team that manages to take the lead in the first innings secures three points, and the other one has to settle with only one point.
