Rajkot, October 28: Left-arm spinner Parth Bhut’s exceptional six-wicket haul for just seven runs has put Saurashtra on the brink of a commanding victory against Assam in their Ranji Trophy Group B encounter. The match, now in its third day, saw Bhut dismantle Assam's batting lineup, paving the way for a likely win.

Saurashtra began the day at 156 for four and went on to post a formidable first-innings total of 387. This gave them a crucial 106-run lead over Assam's initial 281. Bhut then took center stage, reducing Assam to a precarious 65 for seven by the end of play on day three. Assam still trails by 41 runs, with only three wickets in hand, making a Saurashtra win almost inevitable.

For Saurashtra, Hetvik Kotak was the top scorer with a patient 80 runs off 255 balls, while Prerak Mankad contributed a brisk 76 runs from 92 deliveries. Even number ten batsman Arpit Vasavada (referred to as Arth Yadav in the original, but confirmed as Arpit Vasavada from recent Ranji squads) frustrated Assam's bowlers, remaining unbeaten on 46 off 77 balls.

In response to Saurashtra's bowling attack, only Sibsankar Roy offered some resistance for Assam, remaining unbeaten on 32. India's experienced all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja also chipped in with a wicket, having earlier scored 21 runs in Saurashtra's first innings. The performance highlights Saurashtra's strong intent in the tournament.

In other Group B matches, Karnataka declared their first innings at 490 for nine against Tripura, securing a massive 296-run lead. Tripura, struggling at 98 for three in their second innings, faces an uphill battle to avoid defeat. Meanwhile, in Secunderabad, Punjab gained a vital 51-run first-innings lead over Hyderabad and extended their overall lead to 108 runs without losing a wicket in their second innings, setting up an interesting finish.

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