Ranji: Rajputs humble MP

Indore, Feb 18 (UNI) A scintillating opener's knock of 102 by Rohit Sharma helped Rajasthan pip Madhya Pradesh by 6 wickets and earn 4 points today in a Central Zone Ranji Trophy one-day league match here.

After winning the toss, the hosts elected to wield the willow and scored 294/9 in the allotted 50 overs. The top scorers were Devendra Bundela (71), Mohnish Mishra (53) and Brajesh Tomar (40). For the visitors, Shailendra Gehlot and Afroz Khan took 2 wickets each while Pankaj Singh and Mohammad Aslam claimed 1 each.

The Rajputs began with a bang and the first-wicket partnership between Sharma and Siddharth Joshi was for 142 runs and packed in 9 fours and 2 sixes by Sharma. Joshi (72) sent the cherry hurtling to the ropes no less than 10 times. Nikhil Doru (41) and Robin Joshi (39) were other high scorers. Rajasthan attained the target with an over to spare.

Sanjay Pande, T Sudheendra, Bundela and Yogesh Golwalkar took a wicket each.

UNI