Young left-arm spinner Manav Suthar grabbed seven wickets to engineer India D's batting collapse and fashion a four-wicket win for India C in the Duleep Trophy here on Saturday.
Chasing 232 on Day III, the India C top-order got the job done with skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (36), Aryan Juyal (47) and Rajat Patidar (44) playing vital knocks.
India D resumed the day at overnight score of 206/8, with Axar Patel and Harshit Rana at the crease.
The pair added 30 runs on the day before Suthar dismissed Axar (28) and Aditya Thakare (0), as India D ended their second innings at 236.
Beginning the chase, Gaikwad and Sai Sudharsan (22) forged a 64-run opening stand before Saransh Jain got rid of the latter to break the partnership. Four overs later, Gaikwad also departed.
However, the duo of Juyal and Patidar stitched an 88-run stand for the third wicket to ensure that their side stayed on course.
India D, then, left India C in a spot of bother at 191/6. But Abishek Porel (35 not out) and Suthar (19) had other ideas and saw their team home.
In Bengaluru, the audacity of Rishabh Pant, who made a half-century, and Sarfaraz Khan helped India B post 150/6 in their second innings at stumps on Day III.
India B are now ahead by 240 runs with Washington Sundar (6) at the crease after bowling out their rivals for 231 in their first innings to take a 90-run lead.
Pant grabbed the limelight on Saturday with a 61 off 47 balls (4x9, 6x2).
Pacers Khaleel Ahmed (2/56) and Akash Deep (2/36) combined to reduce India B to 22/3 inside eight overs but they fought back through Pant and Sarfaraz Khan.
Pant and Sarfaraz (46 off 36b, 7x4, 1x6) then combined to take their team to a safer position with the ball still darting around appreciably. The right-left combination hammered 72 runs in almost nine overs.
Sarfaraz was brutal on Akash, smoking him for five consecutive fours.
Summarised scores
In Anantapur: India D 164 & 236 (Shreyas Iyer 54, Devdutt Padikkal 56; Manav Suthar 7/49). India C 168 & 233/6 (Aryan Juyal 47, Rajat Patidar 44; Saransh Jain 4/92). India C won by 4 wkts.
In Bengaluru: India B 321 & 150/6 (Sarfaraz Khan 46, Rishabh Pant 61; Khaleel Ahmed 2/56, Akash Deep 2/36). India A 231. Match to continue
Written with PTI inputs
