Ranji Trophy: Menaria, Parida take Rajasthan near Historic win

Rashmi Ranjan Parida (batting 78, 246 mts, 191 balls, 10x4s, 1x6) and Ashok Menaria (batting 83, 167 mts, 134 balls, 9x4s, 3x6s) have very nearly secured Rajasthan's maiden Ranji Trophy title. A fifth wicket at that stage would have exposed the lower-order of the visitors, who by then were ahead only by 99 runs, and handed the hosts a definite stranglehold in the Ranji Trophy final. Unfortunately for Williams and Baroda, the ball agonisingly bounced off his wrist and trickled away.
Riding Menaria and Parida's unbroken 140-run partnership for the fourth wicket, Rajasthan, who were reduced to 11 for three and 61 for four, ended the day at 201 for four for an overall lead of 234 runs. With 90 overs remaining in the game, the eight-time runners-up are well placed to win the coveted trophy. A period of half-an-hour in the second session could well prove to be the decisive passage of the match. With the top four batsmen --- Aakash Chopra, Vineet Saxena, skipper Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Robin Bist --- back in the hut, Baroda, backed by a small but vociferous crowd, were going all out at Menaria and Parida.
Score Summary:
Match: Ranji Trophy final
Played at Moti Bagh Stadium, Vadodara
Baroda won the toss and elected to field
First Inning:
Rajasthan 394
Baroda 361/10 (69.0 over)
Second Inning:
Rajasthan 341
Rajasthan set Target of 375 Runs on Day 5:
Baroda 23/3 (10 Over)
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