Fast bowlers once again found enough purchase in Lahli with the first day’s play witnessing 23 wickets. While Ashok Dinda claimed six Baroda wickets, Atit Sheth (seven wickets) picked his maiden five-wicket haul against Bengal.
Priyank Panchal kept the Mumbai attack at bay in Hubli as he helped Gujarat to a comfortable position with an unbeaten century. Nitin Bhille anchored the Railways innings with an unbeaten 102 against Madhya Pradesh.
Group A, Round 7 - Day 1 Round-up:
Baroda vs Bengal in Lahli: Baroda 1st inn 97/10 in 30.4 overs (A Waghmode 17, A Dinda 6/45, M Kumar 3/39); Bengal 1st inn 76/10 in 27.4 overs (S Chatterjee 37, A Sheth 7/36); Baroda 2nd inn 63/3 in 15 overs (K Devdhar 34*, M Kumar 2/22) Lead by 84 runs
23 wickets fell in Lahli on Day 1 of the game between Baroda and Bengal. Ashoke Dinda (six wickets) and M Kumar (three wickets) bowled Baroda out for 97 after electing to field. Aditya Waghmode top-scored for Baroda with 17 runs as wickets fell like a pack of cards earlier in the day.
Bengal were then skittled out for 76 by the Irfan Pathan-led team. While the skipper picked one wicket, Atit Sheth claimed seven in the game. The 20-year old pacer bagged his maiden five-for as the team seized a first innings lead in the bowler-dominated game. Sudip Chatterjee was the top-scorer for Bengal with 37 runs in the first innings.
At stumps, Baroda were 63 for three with Kedar Devdhar batting on 34 with Akshay Brambhatt. As the match heads for a early finish, Baroda were leading by 84 runs at the end of day’s play.
Punjab vs Tamil Nadu: Punjab 1st inn 241/6 in 86 overs (M Vohara 73, U Kaul 56, Vignesh K 3/89)
Punjab were 241 for six at stumps on Day 1 after stand-in captain Gurkeerat Mann elected to bat against Tamil Nadu in the seventh round of the game. After a 97-run opening stand, Jiwanjot Singh was sent back by Aswin Crist. 10 runs later, Manan Vohara and Mandeep Singh were sent back by Vignesh K to leave the side on 107 for three.
While Mann was sent back by Vijay Shankar, Vignesh K accounted for Mayank Siddana and also ran out Uday Kaul at the fag end of the day’s play. When play ended for the day, Gitansh Khera was batting on 22 with Sandeep Sharma on 4.
Gujarat vs Mumbai in Hubli: Gujarat 1st inn 246/3 in 90 overs (P Panchal 122*, M Juneja 22*, V Dabholkar 2/61)
After Parthiv Patel elected to bat, Priyank Panchal guided Gujarat to 246 for three with an unbeaten century. With Samit Gohil he got the team off to a good start. The pair saw the morning session through against the table toppers taking the side to Lunch on 107 without loss. Their stand was worth 172 when Gohil was bowled by Vishal Dabholkar for 87. The spinner trapped B Merai lbw later in the over. The opener continued to hold up one end and even as they then lost captain with the team on 203, he carried on.
Panchal was batting on 122 with Manprit Juneja on 22 when play ended for the day.
Madhya Pradesh vs Railways in New Delhi: Railways 1st inn 249/2 in 90 overs (N Bhille 102*, S Wakaskar 62, A Gosh 61*)
Railways were comfortably placed on 249 for two at stumps, courtesy an unbeaten century by Nitin Bhille (122*). After Saransh Jain bowled Shivkant Shukla for 17 early in the day to end the opening stand for 50, Bhille joined Saurabh Wakaskar in shaping the innings. The pair took Railways to 117 until the opener was sent back by Ankit Sharma for 62. The No 3 bat then stitched a partnership with Arindam Gosh to build the innings. The pair were involved in an unbroken stand of 132 runs when play ended for the day.
