Irani Cup: Fast bowler Mukesh Kumar produced a lethal post-lunch spell of seam bowling to claim his 11th first-class five-wicket haul and dismantle Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir to hand Rest of India a 167-run victory and lift their record 31st Irani Cup title here on Sunday.
Chasing a target of 279 on day four at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium, the hosts disintegrated in a manic one-hour session after the lunch break, as they went from 89/3 to being skittled out for a paltry 111 in 28.4 overs. Mukesh was the undisputed architect of the collapse by picking 6-33 in a relentless display of late movement and sharp length.
His devastating second-innings burst featured him taking three wickets in four deliveries and left the hosts' middle-order completely shell-shocked. Bengal teammate Akash Deep provided ideal support in his comeback game and hit good speeds to register fine figures of 3-25, while Mukesh Choudhary picked up the key scalp of danger man Abdul Samad.
