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A round-up of the first day's proceedings in the Ranji Trophy matches across the country.
Twin brothers Baba Indrajith Baba Aparajith put on 206 for the third wicket as formidable Tamil Nadu amassed 308 for 4 against Chattisgarh 251 on the opening day of their Group H Ranji Trophy match, in Guwahati, on Thursday.
The brothers put on 206 runs for the third-wicket as Indrajith continued from where he left in the match against Delhi (117).
His 141-ball 127 was laced with 21 fours.
Aparajith, who notched his tenth First Class hundred, was unbeaten on 101, off 197 balls, including 8 fours and 2 sixes.
At draw of stumps, Aparajith had the hard-hitting M Shahrukh Khan (batting 28) for company. .
Meanwhile, Ishant Sharma bowled only one short spell of four overs before his Team India colleague Navdeep Saini along with the spinners dismissed Jharkhand for a below par 251 on the opening day of Delhi's second Group H must-win match.
Ishant and Saini's entry made Delhi's attack stronger but the lanky fast bowler (4-1-14-0), after a gingerly first spell, was not brought back for a second spell.
It didn't affect much as Saini (12-2-37-3) along with left-arm spinner Vikas Mishra (18-3-65-3) and two part-time off-break bowlers Lalit Yadav (13-0-46-2) and Nitish Rana (14-2-41-2) got wickets at regular intervals to deflate Jharkhand.
At stumps, Delhi were 28 for 1, losing Yash Dhull (5)'s wicket, with Dhruv Shorey (batting 15) and Himmat Singh (batting 5).
Jharkhand skipper Virat Singh (103 off 171 balls) and opener Nazim Siddiqui (52) were the only two significant contributors.
Brief scores:
Tamil Nadu 308 for 4 (Baba Indrajith 127, Baba Aparajith batting 101) vs Chattisgarh.
Jharkhand 251 (Virat Singh 103, Navdeep Saini 3/37, VIkas Mishra 3/65) vs Delhi 28/1 (Yash Dhull 5).
Karun Nair bolsters Karnataka with unbeaten 152
Chennai: India Test discard Karun Nair scored a fighting unbeaten 152 as Karnataka scored 268 for 8 against Jammu & Kashmir on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match, in Chennai.
Opener Devdutt Padikkal (8) fell early to Mujtaba Yousuf (2 for 44) after Karnataka won the toss and elected to bat.
Nair (267 balls, 21 fours, 1 six) and the other opening batter, Ravikumar Samarth (45, 5 fours), then added 98 runs for the second wicket to steady the innings.
K V Siddharth, who hit a century in the opening match against Railways, helped Nair add 56 runs for the third wicket.
Nair grew in confidence and was on the lookout for runs. However, the dismissal of Siddharth sparked a mini collapse as Karnataka slipped from 164 for 2 to 190 for 5 and then 209 for 7 after losing Shreyas Gopal (7) and K Gowtham (2) to veteran spinner Parvez Rasool (2 for 51).
Nair kept scoring runs even as he lost partners but he found an able ally in Ronit More, who scored 23 from 59 balls and was involved in a vital 59-run partnership for the eighth wicket.
More, who batted resolutely, fell LBW to Yousuf off the final delivery of the day.
The 30-year Nair holds the key for Karnataka to reach a total of 300 in the first innings.
In the other match in the group, Pondicherry ended the opening day at 284 for 5, riding on veteran Paras Dogra's unbeaten 207 (168 balls, 10 fours, 1 six).
Brief scores:
Karnataka 268 for 8 in 90 overs (R Samarth 45, Karun Nair 152 batting (267b, 21x4, 1x6), Mujtaba Yousuf two for 44, Umran Malik two for 35, Parvez Rasool two for 51) vs Jammu and Kashmir.
Pondicherry 284 for 5 in 89 overs (Neyan Shyam Kangayan 49, (No.4) Paras Dogra 107 batting (168b, 10x4, 1x6), D Rohit 41, Rahul Sharma three for 50) vs Railways.
Mandeep, Anmol tons put Punjab in command against Haryana
New Delhi: Mandeep Singh scored a majestic, unbeaten 130, while wicketkeeper-batter Anmol Malhotra also slammed a century as Punjab recovered from a poor start to post 368 for 5 against Haryana on Day 1 of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group F match.
Put in to bat, Punjab lost their opener Prabhsimran Singh for a golden duck, while skipper Abhishek Sharma (24) also failed to convert his start.
The 30-year-old Mandeep then took charge of the proceedings en route to his 14th first-class century.
The Punjab veteran shared two fifty-plus stands with Anmolpreet Singh and Gurkeerat Singh Mann (48) as wickets kept falling at the other end.
But No. 6 Malhotra (100 from 128 balls; 14x4, 2x6) gave Mandeep fine support and the duo stitched together 163 runs to take them past the 300-run mark.
Malhotra was out in the final session after completing his century, but Mandeep held firm, striking 13 fours and 2 sixes during his 222-ball stay.
Brief scores:
At Arun Jaitley stadium: Punjab 368 for 5 in 88 overs (Mandeep Singh 130 batting, Anmol Malhotra 100, Gurkeerat Singh Mann 48; Ajit Chahal 2/55, Anshul Kamboj 2/83) vs Haryana.
At Palam A ground: Himachal Pradesh 304 for 6 in 90 overs (Ankit Kalsi 114 batting, Raghav Dhawan 68, Akash Vasisht 43; Amit Ali 2/65) vs Tripura.
Rookie Abhishek slams successive fifty for Bengal
Cuttack: Wicketkeeper-batter Abhishek Porel continued his fine form with a second half century on the trot as Bengal took an upper hand on Day 1 of their Ranji Trophy Group B match against Hyderabad, at the Barabati stadium.
Abhishek, who scored a resilient second innings unbeaten half-century in Bengal’s thrilling win over Baroda in the last match, again provided the resistance, batting at No.8, with a quick 62-ball 73 (10x4) to take the team to 242 in 70.2 overs after they were sent in.
Bengal pacer Mukesh Kumar rattled the Hyderabad top-order by dismissing opener Akshath Reddy (0) and Tilak Varma (0) in successive overs.
Hyderabad ended Day 1 on 15 for 2, 227 runs in arrears.
Like against Baroda, when Abhishek and Shahbaz Ahmed produced a match-winning 108-run unbroken stand, the duo showed Bengal the way after they were reeling at 116 for 6, following the loss of Sayan Sekhar Mondal (34), Anustup Majumdar (29) and veteran Manoj Tiwary (2) in the space of just nine runs.
Abhishek took charge in the partnership, hitting 10 boundaries on both sides of the wicket, while Shahbaz chipped in with a 61-ball 40 (2x4) in their 74-run stand for the seventh wicket.
But Abhishek was unable to convert it into a bigger score, cleaned up by Ravi Teja for 73.
"I tried to stay positive, played with positive intent and tried to perform what I've practiced so far. I'm also disappointed not to have converted my start and miscued the delivery," Abhishek said.
"There was no extra pressure. I was confident, as in the last match also I had done the same job while coming in to bat lower down the order," added the player, who scored a gritty 53 not out in his debut innings.
Earlier, Bengal skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran was dismissed for 0 by Ravi Teja while Sudip Gharami (14) also got out cheaply as the Hyderabad seam duo of Ravi Teja (3/48) and debutant B Punnaiah (2/32) rocked the top-order before left-arm spinner Tanay Thyagarajan (5/71) got into the act.
Brief scores:
At Barabati Stadium: Bengal 242 in 70.2 overs (Abhishek Banerjee 73, Shahbaz Ahmed 40; Tanay Thyagarajan 5/71, Ravi Teja 3/48, B Punnaiah 2/32) vs Hyderabad 15 for 2 in 9 overs (Mukesh Kumar 2/3).
At Vikas Cricket Ground: Chandigarh 168 in 62.3 overs (Manan Vohra 43, Raj Bawa 32; Abhimanyusingh Rajput 5/47, Bhargav Bhatt 2/27, Babashafi Pathan 2/30) vs Baroda 80 for 1 in 21 overs.
Satish's unbeaten 146 steers Vidarbha to 270-3 vs Maharashtra
Sultanpur (Haryana): 'Crisis man' Ganesh Satish slammed an unbeaten 146 to propel Vidarbha to 270 for 3 on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group G match against Maharashtra.
Opting to bat, Vidarbha lost their openers – in-form skipper Faiz Fazal (14) and Sanjay Raghunath (3) -- cheaply, and were in spot of bother at 18 for 2.
Maharashtra's left-arm medium pacer Mukesh Choudhary (2/47) accounted for both the batters. But, then, one-down batter Atarva Taide (68) joined hands with Satish (146 not out off 282 balls) to not only resurrect the innings but also pummel a pedestrian Maharashtra attack to submission.
While Satish, who was the more aggressive of the two, slammed 19 fours and a six, Taide hammered 10 fours in his 145-ball knock.
The duo conjured a crucial 177-run stand for the third wicket, which took the game away from their opponents at the Gurgaon cricket ground.
However, when it looked like Taide, who is also having a purple patch in red-ball cricket, would score big, left-arm spinner Satyajeet Bachhav (1/68) dismissed the southpaw.
But that did not deter Satish from playing his shots all around the park.
Wicketkeeper Akshay Wadkar (35 not out off 76 balls; 6x4) played the perfect second fiddle to Satish, as the two forged a 75-run stand for the unbroken fourth wicket.
All the Maharashtra bowlers -- Mukesh Choudhary, Pradeep Dadhe (0/69), Rahul Tripathi (0/11), Bachhav, Vicky Ostwal (0/53) and Azim Kazi (0/17) -- had an off day on the field.
Brief scores:
Vidarbha 270 for 3 (Ganesh Satish 146 batting, Atharva Taide 68, Mukesh Choudhary 2/47, Satyajeet Bachhav 1/68) v Maharashtra.
At Rohtak: Assam 265 (Riyan Parag 91, Subham Mandal 56, Karan Sharma 3/31, Aaqib Khan 3/39) vs Uttar Pradesh 10/0 (Madhav Kaushik 8 not out, Samarth Singh 2 retired hurt; Ranjit Mali 0/2).
Gaurav Yadav bags five wkts as MP bundle out Meghalaya for 61
Rajkot: Right-arm pacer Gaurav Yadav bagged five wickets as Madhya Pradesh bundled our minnows Meghalaya for a meagre 61 on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match.
In reply, MP, who had defeated a strong Gujarat side in their lung opener, ended the day at 141 for 2, for a lead of 80 runs.
It was Yadav (5/11) who wreaked havoc with the ball, as no Meghalaya batter provided resistance. Only two of them scored in double digits.
Yadav's scalps included opener Wallam Kynshi (2), Chirag Khurana (0), skipper Punit Bisht (0), Larry Sangma (0) and Ravi Teja (8).
Meghalaya were reduced to 25 for 5 and could never resurrect their innings from there as the MP bowlers kept striking at regular intervals.
Wanlambok Nongkhlaw (19) top-scored for the north-eastern side.
Yadav was ably supported by fellow-pacers Ishwar Chandra Pandey (1/18), Anubhav Agarwal (1/15) and left-arm orthodox bowler Kumar Kartikeya (2/6).
In reply, MP openers Rameez Khan (38) and Ajay Rohera (26) conjured a 56-run stand for the first wicket.
Then, one down batter Shubham Sharma (57 batting), who slammed a hundred in the lung opener, joined Rohera, as the two added 54 runs for the second wicket.
Sharma took the Meghalaya attack to task, as he struck seven boundaries.
Once Rohera fell, Sharma and Rajat Patidar (16 not out) held fort till stumps were drawn.
Brief scores:
Meghalaya 61 all out (W Nongkhlaw 19, Kishan Lyngdoh 11; Gaurav Yadav 5/11, Kumar Kartikeya 2/6) vs Madhya Pradesh 141 for 2 (Shubham Sharma 57 batting, Rameez Khan 38; Aryan Bora 1/21, Akash Choudhary 1/35).
Gujarat 334 for 6 (Het Patel 146 batting, Karan Patel 120; M Nidheesh 4/30, Eden Tom 1/51) vs Kerala.
Rahane, Pujara flop again
Ahmedabad: Ajinkya Rahane did not bother the scorers as Mumbai were put on back-foot by Goa while Saurashtra were not affected by Cheteshwar Pujara's cheap dismissal against Odisha in their respective Ranji Trophy Elite Group D matches.
Mumbai were shot out for a paltry 163, with Rahane (0) trapped leg before wicket by an incoming delivery from pacer Lakshay Garg (6 for 46) as Sarfaraz Khan's (63 off 110 balls) half-century was the saving grace.
Even Prithvi Shaw (9) was out cheaply as Garg got the ball to move both ways to dismiss the 44-time champions Mumbai all out in 52.4 overs.
Garg got good support from off-spinner Amit Yadav (4/47) as Mumbai's only substantial stand was 75, between Sarfaraz and Sachin Yadav (27).
Goa were 114 for 2 at stumps, the two Desais, Amogh (51) and Suyash Prabhudesai (40), adding 56 runs.
In another match of the group, Saurashtra were 325 for 4 after Pujara hit two fours before being caught in slips by Biplab Samantray off Debabrata Pradhan.
Chirag Jani (batting 125) and Sheldon Jackson (75) added 130 runs in a fourth-wicket stand.
Brief scores:
Mumbai 163 (Sarfaraz Khan 63, Prithvi Shaw 9, Ajinkya Rahane 0, Lakshay Garg 6/46) vs Goa 114/2 (Amogh Desai 51).
Saurashtra 325 for 4 (Chirag Jani 125, Sheldon Jackson 75, Cheteshwar Pujara 8) vs Odisha.
Ricky Bhui's ton helps Andhra score 277 for 3 vs Services
Thiruvananthapuram: Ricky Bhui hit an unbeaten 109 to help Andhra score 277 for 3 on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group E match against Services.
Electing to bat, Andhra got off to a horror start, losing opener C R Gnaneshwar for a duck to Diwesh Pathania.
Wicketkeeper-batter U M S Girinath (53) and S K Rasheed (23) put on 49 runs for the second wicket before the latter fell to P S Poonia.
Bhui joined Girinath in the middle and put on 70 runs for the third wicket in a little over 20 overs.
Poonia struck a second time to get rid of Girinath, who had shown a lot of resolve.
Bhui and Karan Shinde (batting 71, 187 balls) got together for the fourth wicket and denied Services any further breakthrough.
Right-handed batter Bhui was the more aggressive of the two and did not waste an opportunity to put away the bad deliveries. He has so far hit eight fours and a six off 187 balls.
Shinde was more watchful and played a high percentage of dot balls. However, he made sure that he did not give any chances to the opposition bowlers.
The Bhui-Shinde stand made sure that Andhra ended the day at a strong 277 for 3.
In the other match of the day, Uttarakhand finished Day 1 against Rajasthan at 228 for 5, thanks to half centuries by Kunal Chandela (89) and Swapnil Singh (batting 69).
Uttarakhand and Rajasthan had won their opening matches in the group on Sunday last.
Brief scores:
Andhra 277 for 3 in 90 overs (Ricky Bhui 109 batting, Karan Shinde 71 batting, U M S Girinath 54) vs Services.
Uttarakhand 228 for 5 in 90 overs (Kunal Chandela 89, Swapnil Singh batting 69; A V Choudhary 3 for 35, Kamlesh Nagarkoti 2 for 26) vs Rajasthan.