Sarthak Ranjan hammers 50 after Mumbai stint on tackling short ball

Batsman Sarthak Ranjan has taken this season's Hot Weather season with consideration, avoiding most tournaments and instead focussing on finer points of batting with stints in Mumbai.

"I returned yesterday only after a three-day stint in Mumbai. I have been visiting Mumbai regularly and focussing on improving the weaker facets of my batting," said the 28-year-old who is eyeing the Delhi Premier League (DPL) this season.

"I wanted to work on my short-ball game. The red soil in Mumbai makes the pitches bouncier and helpful for horizontal bat stroke-play. That is why I opted for practicing there than playing the Hot Weather tournaments here," added Ranjan, who stroked 34-ball 62 to help Madras Cricket Club score a four-run win over Yorks CC in the second quarterfinal of the 50th Goswami Ganesh Dutt Memorial Cricket Tournament on Wednesday.

This is Ranjan's first tournament in Delhi this season. He had played only the DDCA League prior to this.

"I played very few matches in DDCA League. Scored a century and also got a half-century. I am, however, planning to play the Hot Weather this time around."

Ranjan's knock and Pranshu Vijayran's 43 off 24 balls took Madras CC to 214/9 in 20 overs.

When Yorks CC batted, they were reduced to 84/6 in 10 overs. But Siddhant Sharma (59 off 27 balls; 4x4s, 5x6s) and Deepanshu Phore (47 off 28 balls; 4x4s, 3x6s) brought them close to Madras CC's total. But it was too late. A few lusty hits in the final over didn't do anything good for them.

In the first quarterfinal, Delhi Challengers Cricket Club defeated Food Corporation of India (FCI) by five wickets. FCIwere bowled out for 149 in 18.4 overs. In response, Delhi Challengers Cricket Club reached the target in 16.5 overs losing just five wickets.

Kunal Chandela (72 off 47 balls; 10x4s, 1x6) and Shivam Sharma (3/29) were the stars for Delhi Challengers.

Tags : Sarthak Ranjan, Delhi, Cricket, Mumbai, DDCA, Madras CC, FCI