02 July,2018 02:00 PM IST | | Subodh Mayure
Shrikant Wagh
Vidarbha all-rounder Shrikant Wagh achieved an incredible feat of claiming 10 wickets in an innings to help his team Stokesley CC beat Middlesbrough CC by 135 runs in the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League at Broughton Road ground on Saturday.
Wagh, 29, an overseas professional with Stokesley in the ECB Premier Division tournament, rated this performance higher than his match haul of 8 for 90 in a Ranji Trophy game against Delhi during the 2014-15 season at Nagpur where the hosts won by an innings and 93 runs. Batting first, Stokesley scored 232 for nine in 50 overs with skipper Andrew Weighell top-scoring with 80 off 127 balls.
In reply, Middlesbrough were bowled out for a mere 97 in just 22.4 overs with Wagh returning amazing figures of 11.4-1-39-10. "It was very hot day on Saturday and the pitch was very dry so it was not easy to bowl on. I got the first five wickets in as many overs and I thought I have to try for a few more. But that was not easy. "I had to bowl four overs for the next two wickets and I was really desperate for the rest. I thank my teammates for encouraging me to go for it.
For the last three wickets, we charted out a thorough plan, set a fielding. It worked," a delighted Wagh told mid-day from Yorkshire yesterday. Earlier, he smashed 41 runs off 28 balls.
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Wagh's 2017-18 Ranji Trophy season was restricted to one match due to a knee injury and fellow pacers Rajneesh Gurbani and Lalit Yadav grabbed their opportunity to help Vidarbha clinch their maiden Ranji Trophy title.
"This was my ninth game and I picked up two fifers before my Saturday's performance. I am fully fit and I am enjoying my game here. I am confident of making a strong comeback into the Ranji team," said Wagh, who was Vidarbha's leading wicket-taker (10 in five games) in the last Vijay Hazare Trophy, the 50-overs-a-side tournament.
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