The veteran Mumbai batsman’s 206 put Vidarbha in control of the quarter-final match against Uttarakhand in Nagpur
Vidarbha are certainly reaping the benefits of roping in the Indian cricket’s veteran opener Wasim Jaffer from Mumbai in 2015. The team has grown from strength to strength under his experience and reached the high point last year by winning the Ranji Trophy title.
Even at 40, Jaffer doesn’t seem to be in a mood to slow down, as his timely 206 helped Vidarbha post a lead of 204 in the first-innings lead against Uttarakhand. In the process, he became the first Indian and Asian cricketer to score two double tons after turning 40 in first-class cricket.His double ton on Thursday was also the ninth time he has gone past the mark in Ranji Trophy.
The opener is the Ranji Trophy’s all-time highest run-scorer, has been in fine scoring form in the ongoing season of the premier domestic tournament.
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It really seems as though Wasim Jaffer is aging akin to a fine wine. Just look at his recent run-scoring exploits and you will know why. Jaffer scored a brilliant 153 against Baroda before posting scores of 126, 178, and 98 in consecutive matches against Gujarat, his former side Mumbai, and Saurashtra respectively.
Jaffer latest exploits wasn’t much of an effort; it took just 296 balls to reach that figure.
He stitched a vital 304-run stand for the second wicket with fellow centurion Sanjay Ramasamy (141) to guide Vidarbha to a crucial first-innings lead over Uttarakhand. The north Indian side had posted 355 in their first innings. Following Jaffer’s departure, wicketkeeper-batsman Akshay Wadkar with Aditya Sarwate further Uttarakhand’s woes. The former faced a disappointing evening, missing his century by just 2 runs.
Oldest Indians to hit a first class double hundred:
50y 142D CK Nayadu 1945/46
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48y 306D DB Deodhar 1940/41
43y 20D Vijay Hazare 1957/58
40y 335D Wasim Jaffer 2018/19
40y 272D Vinoo Mankad 1957/58
40y 26D Wasim Jaffer 2017/18#RanjiTrophy pic.twitter.com/18D12DUiIR— BCCI (@BCCI_Men) January 17, 2019
Jaffer’s first double century, a 286, after turning 40 had come during the 2017-18 season of Ranji Trophy against Rest of India in Nagpur which had ended in a drawn match.
The 206 he scored was also his ninth overall in first-class cricket. He has two triple tons to his name at the domestic level as well.
Jaffer, whose last game for India was in 2008, is inching towards another 1000 runs tally in the ongoing season of Ranji Trophy.
So far in the season, the batsman has scored 969 runs that comprises of four hundreds and two half-centuries. The most eye-grabbing statistic is the average- 80.75- that he has accumulated in nine matches so far.
Overall, Jaffer has scored 18,873 runs in the first-class cricket, with 56 centuries, and 88 half centuries in 250 matches.
