Hosts Rajasthan thrashed Orissa by nine wickets to enter the Ranji Trophy Plate Group final, clinching victory on the third day of the five-day match, at the K L Saini stadium in Jaipur on Friday.
Rajasthan thus earned the right to play in the Elite group after a gap of three years. They last played among the elite teams in 2002-03.
Resuming at the overnight score of 91 for 5, Orissa, who trailed by 156 runs in the first innings, were all out for 220, 48 minutes after lunch, leaving Rajasthan the task of scoring 65 runs for victory.
The home team achieved the target, losing only one wicket, 44 minutes after tea.
The batsman out was Dishant Yagnik for 9.
Mithun Beerala and Naresh Gehlot returned unbeaten on 41 and 11 runs respectively.
The Orissa batsmen put up some resistance in the morning session as they added 102 runs, losing two wickets.
R R Parida, who was unbeaten on 20 on Thursday, displayed determination. He added 58 runs for the eighth wicket with Debashish Mohanty before the later was out for a well-compiled 45 (101 minutes, 6x4), caught by Yagnik off Pankaj Singh.
Earlier, Behara was dismissed by left arm spinner Mohammed Aslam for only six while P Pradhan (26) was sent to the pavilion by Pankaj.
Satpathy and Mangraj could not open their account and Orissa's innings folded for 220 in 91.5 overs.
Pankaj Singh, who took four for 26 in the first innings, captured six for 65 in the second, taking his tally to 10 for 111.
Sanjay Gill, who had scalped six for 20 in the first innings, could not take any wicket in the second.
Chasing a victory target of 65, Rajasthan took 25.5 overs to achieve it, losing the wicket of opener Dishant Yagnik, who was bowled by Mangraj for nine. Beerala remained unbeaten on 41, in 105 minutes, inclusive of seven hits to the fence, while Naresh Gehlot remained unbeaten on 11.
Scorecard
Orissa (1st innings): 94
Rajasthan (1st innings): 250
Orissa (2nd innings): (overnight 91 for 5)
S S Das c Yagnki b Pankaj 9
P Patel c Kanwat b Pankaj 4
S Saigal c Jadeja b Aslam 34
S Biswal b Pankaj 3
P Mullick c & b Afroz 10
R R Parida not out 67
N Behara c Doru b Aslam 6
P Pradhan lbw Pankaj 26
D Mohanthy c Yagnik b Pankaj 45
S Satpathy c Yagnik b Pankaj 0
D Mangraj lbw Aslam 0.
Extras: (B6, LB3, NB6, W1) 16
Total: (all out in 91.5 overs) 220
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-24, 3-28, 4-44, 5-91, 6-97, 7-144, 8-202, 9-209,10-220.
Bowling: S Gill 19-8-31-0, P Singh 29-10-65-6, R Kanwat 7-2-13-0, A Khan 16-3-39-1, M Aslam 15.5-3-44-3, A Jadeja 5-0-19-0.
Rajasthan (2nd innings):
M Beerala not out 41
D Yagnik b Mangraj 9
N Gehlot not out 11.
Extras: (lb-1, nb-6) 7
Total: (for one wicket in 25.3 overs) 68
Fall of wickets: 1-22.
Bowling: D Mohanthy 6-2-16-0, D Mangraj 7-1-25-1, N Behara 4-2-6-0, S Satpathy 4.3-2-11-0, S Saigal 4-1-9-0.
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