Uttarakhand rout Sikkim by 253 runs

Medium pacer Sunny Rana returned with a career-best 5/26 as Uttarakhand bowlers bundled out Sikkim for just 52 to script a massive 253-run victory in their Plate Group Vijay Hazare Trophy fixture here on Sunday.

A target of 306 proved too big for the Sikkim batsmen who tumbled like a pack of cards to fold their innings in 21.1 overs with Rana being the wrecker-in-chief and was well-supported by Mayank Mishra (2/2) and Pradeep Chamoli (2/15).

Uttarakhand (26 points) jumped to the top of the Plate Group standings with a two-point lead over Pondicherry, who however have a match in hand.

Only two Sikkim batsmen -- Ashish Thapa (16) and Plazor Tamang (15) -- managed double digit scores as Uttarakhand bowlers went on a rampage at the Kasiga School Cricket Ground.

Earlier, opting to bat, skipper Unmukt Chand and Karn Kaushal set the foundation for Uttarakhand with a 120-run opening partnership, hitting identical scores of 54.

After a brief hiccup, Avneesh Sudha (69) and Tanmay Srivastava (53) took charge of the proceedings for a fourth wicket partnership of 117 runs.

But it was Saurabh Rawat (20) and Sunny Rana (16) who propped up the total, adding 36 runs in nine balls to take them past the 300-mark.

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