Hemang Badani's unbeaten 99 and his unbroken 183-run fourth wicket partnership with Pankaj Dharmani (72 batting) enabled Elite 'C' post 273 for 3 in their first innings against Plate 'B' on the opening day of the Duleep Trophy match in Kochi on Thursday.

Left-hander Badani and Dharmani took some time to find their touch but once they settled both batsmen batted sensibly. Badani's knock, off 193 deliveries, had 10 hits to the fence and two huge sixes, while Dharmani, who faced 231 balls, struck three boundaries.

Earlier, electing to bat, Elite 'C' lost captain Shiv Sundar Das for only nine, caught by Sujit Somasundar at second slip off medium pacer Venkatesh Prasad with the total 15.

Yere Goud, who came to the crease at the fall of Das, added 69 runs with Satyajit Parab, who made 44 before being dismissed by leg-spinner Narender Hirwani.

Hirwani, who was getting some help from the pitch, struck again when he dismissed Goud for 34.

Elite were in trouble at 90 for 3. But Badani and Dharmani steadied the innings and took their side out of trouble.

Scoreboard

Elite 'C' (1st innings):

S Parab c Nair b Hirwani 44

S S Das c Somasundar b Prasad 9

Yere Goud c Hemanthkumar b Hirwani 34

Hemang Badani batting 99

Pankaj Dharmani batting 72

Extras (b 4, lb 1, nb 10) 15

Total (for 3 wkts in 90 overs): 273

Fall of wickets: 1/15, 2/84, 3/90

Bowling: Venkatesh Prasad 7-2-15-1; Sreeshanth 5-0-29-0; Bundela 7-0-22-0; Sreekumar Nair 23-5-63-0; Hirwani 27-2-81-2; Dhruv 19-4-48-0; Hemanthkumar 2-0-10-0.