TN in strong position

Facing a daunting task of saving the match after having yielded a 298-run first innings lead, Hyderabad were 63 for one in their second innings at close on the penultimate day of the four-day Ranji Trophy cricket Elite Group B league match in Chennai on Tuesday.

At close, Daniel Manohar (31) and Inder Sekhar Reddy (0) were at the crease after opener Nandakishore made 32.

Earlier, the hosts, who were 183 for one overnight, declared their first innings at 461 for 6.

Two worthwhile stands -- between Vidyuth Sivaramakrishnan and S Badrinath who put on 137 runs for the second wicket and a quickfire 134 in 34 overs between centurion S Sharath and Sridharan Sriram for the fourth wicket -- helped Tamil Nadu gain the upper hand.

Vidyuth, who top scored with 130 (239b, 354min, 12 fours and a six) was adjudged leg before wicket to left arm spinner Inder Sekar Reddy. The bowler had earlier dismissed Badrinath (67, 8 fours and a six) caught at silly point.

After the pair had laid a solid foundation, the left-handed pair of Sharath and Sriram scored at will. Sriram (57) was the first to go when Venkatapathy Raju rapped him on the pads in front. Sharath, who reached his century, also made his exit when he pulled straight into Daniel Manohar's hands at mid-wicket off Reddy.

Captain Badani (55 off 52 balls) and Dinesh Karthik (1) remained unbeaten as Tamil Nadu declared their innings.

Scorecard:

Hyderabad 1st innings: 163

Tamil Nadu 1st innings (overnight 183-1)
S Vidyut lbw  b Reddy 130
S Ramesh lbw  b Raju  29
S Badrinath c sub (P Shashank Nag) b Reddy 67
S Sharath  c Manohar b Reddy105
S Sriram lbw  b Raju  57
H Badani not out 55
S Suresh c Khaleel b Manohar 7
D Karthik not out 1

Extras: (b 7, lb 3)  10

Total: (6 wickets dec in 131 overs)    461

Did not bat: R Ramkumar, MR Shrinivas, R Raghuram.

Hyderabad (2nd innings):
A Nand Kishore b Badrinath 32
S Manohar not out 31
P Reddy not out  0

Extras: 0

Total: (1 wicket, 24 overs) 63

To bat: D Vinay Kumar, A Rayudu, A Yadav, Anirudh Singh, I Khaleel, J Yadav, V Raju, N Singh.

Fall of wickets: 63-1

Bowling: Shrinivas 5-1-21-0, Suresh 4-4-0-0, Ramkumar 6-2-15-0, Raghuram 5-1-14-0, Vidyut 3-0-13-0, Badrinath 1-1-0-1.