A preview of the fourth-round matches of the Ranji Trophy Super League 2008-09
Cricinfo staff22-Nov-2008
VVS Laxman: Back in Hyderabad’s saddle © AFP
It’s that time of the season when favourites emerge for the top and the drop. Going into the fourth round, there are teams who can book their places in the knockouts with a big win, and there are some who can kickstart their journey to the Plate League if they fail to score points. A look at the Super League matches starting Sunday:Group AGujarat v Delhi in Valsad
Delhi, with five points from three matches, will know the time has come for them to pick their game up drastically if they are to harbour thoughts of defending their title. And they don’t have pushovers waiting for them. Gujarat have had a good start to the season, their first after their promotion to the Super League. They have beaten Saurashtra outright, lost to Mumbai, and fallen short by a session in their drive for an outright win against Hyderabad. If they can hold their own against Delhi, they will stay close to the top three.Hyderabad v Rajasthan in Hyderabad
VVS Laxman adds gloss to this otherwise low-key affair. Hyderabad are fifth in Group A, and Rajasthan are at the bottom with only one point to their credit. Hyderabad have done well to register a first-innings lead against Delhi, and especially by hanging on for one point against Gujarat by batting out 106 overs in their second innings. A win here could take them from the middle of the order towards the top three.Orissa v Punjab in Bhubaneshwar
This match could have similar implications as the Hyderabad-Rajasthan match. Punjab are tied with Hyderabad with seven points, and Orissa are one place from the bottom, with four points. With the match, a new stadium makes debut – the East Coast Railway Sports Association Stadium. This will also be the first Ranji match in Bhubaneshwar, Orissa’s capital.Saurashtra v Mumbai in Rajkot
Mumbai, the solid leaders in Group A and so far the best team in the whole Super League, take a trip down to the run capital of India. If India scored 387 in an ODI against England, Cheteshwar Pujara scored a triple by himself. Nine centuries have been scored in Rajkot so far, for the fall of 68 wickets, in three matches. It hasn’t all been boring – two of the matches have been innings victories. This is also a crucial match between the No. 1 and No. 2 sides in the Group A, with five points separating them.Group BRailways v Andhra in Delhi
Railways haven’t set the Ranji Trophy on fire in their return to the Plate League, but they still have four points and a game in hand after three rounds. Although they are way behind the leaders, Tamil Nadu, they are only three and two points behind the No. 2 and No. 3 teams – Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, who have yet to make a pit stop. Andhra, though, have been reduced to fighting relegation from now on, with two points from three games.Uttar Pradesh v Maharashtra in Kanpur
RP Singh, who has been dropped from the Indian ODI side, will lift a fledgling UP side. Mohammad Kaif, the batting mainstay who missed their last game, will be back too. UP are waiting on Praveen Kumar’s fitness, and will know tomorrow morning. All put together, they would want nothing less than an outright win against an inexperienced Maharashtra side. Their capitulation to Tamil Nadu, in the absence of Kaif and Praveen, has meant they are placed at No. 3 in the table, and need a shot in the arm. Maharashtra, who only two points ahead of the bottom-placed Andhra, will want to maintain some space.