Jharkhand Enter Ranji Trophy Quarters After Farcical '1000 Plus Runs Overall Lead' Against Hapless Nagaland

Jharkhand butchered north-eastern minnows Nagaland in one of the most farcical and lopsided pre-quarterfinals of the Ranji Trophy with a jaw-dropping overall lead of 1008 runs, the highest ever in the history of the national first-class championship. The eastern India state, best known for producing country's famous captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, didn't break a single rule but effectively made a mockery of the 'Spirit of Cricket' by basically humiliating the opposition for five days before umpires called time on such a sham.

The game was also an indicator of how Supreme Court appointed Justice RM Lodha committee and subsequently the CoA, led by former CAG Vinod Rai, didn't understand the gulf between a proper first-class team and a developmental side from a region where cricket isn't the primary sport.

The match was over as a contest after Jharkhand scored a mammoth 880 in their first innings -- tournament's fourth highest score on an Eden Gardens belter against a Nagaland attack in which five out of seven bowlers were hit for a not so pleasing "hundred".

Nagaland, in reply, were all-out for 289 and the 591-run first innings lead had effectively ended the game in Jharkhand's favour.

However, the rules suggested that one needed to play till the end of the fifth day unless Jharkhand wanted to enforce follow-on.

To be fair, even their bowlers had bowled for 103.3 overs and hence they batted again and this time for fun send their tailender Anukul Roy to join what was a "batting fest".

Anukul, who had been a longtime Mumbai Indians reserve, helped himself to a 153 in Jharkhand's second innings score of 417 for 6 when umpires Ganesh Charhate and Manish Jain asked players to shake hands.

Jharkhand won the match to qualify for