Indian cricketers break record

NEW DELHI: An Indian cricket team broke a 129-year-old first-class record as nine batsmen hit half-centuries in the domestic Ranji Trophy.

Bengal amassed a mammoth 773 for 7 declared on Wednesday in the first innings of their quarter-final against Jharkhand in Bangalore. Two batsmen scored centuries -- Sudip Gharami top-scoring with 186 -- while the other seven that took to the crease all passed fifty.

Their innings beat a first-class record that had stood since 1893, when a touring Australian side made eight half-centuries in an 843-run innings against a combined team from Oxford and Cambridge universities in Portsmouth, England.

“What a team, what an effort! Proud to be a part of it,” batsman Manoj Tiwary, who scored 73, wrote on Twitter.