Playing in only his seventh first-class match, 18-year-old Prithvi Shaw posted his fifth first-class century to help Mumbai rebuild the innings after Andhra’s early strikes. Centurion Nitish Rana and wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant helped shape Delhi innings with a solid partnership after Maharashtra pegged the team back with early blows. B Sandeep and Ambati Rayudu too were involved in Hyderabad’s rescue act after Assam pushed the side on a backfoot.
Chintan Gaja registered his career best first-class performance as he claimed 8/40 to put Gujarat on top.
Spinners put Group D table-toppers Vidarbha in an advantageous position against Goa while Dharmendra Jadeja claimed six to put Saurashtra in an advantageous position against Kerala as teams fight for qualification to the knock-outs.
Here are the highlights of Day 1 – Round 6 of Ranji Trophy 2017-18:
Group AAssam vs Hyderabad: After being reduced to 32 for four, Hyderabad recovered to end the day on 289 for eight. The middle-order batsmen, B Sandeep and Ambati Rayudu led the recovery with a 157-run partnership for the fifth wicket. The pair carried the team to 189 before Sandeep was bowled by Rahul Singh. 23-runs later the bowler also castled Rayudu to leave the side on 212 for six. Akash Bhandari then saw the team through to stumps. He was batting on 43 with Mudassar on one when play ended for the day.
Arup Das, who had given Assam their first breakthrough of the day with just 11 runs on the board had claimed three while Rahul Singh too picked three wickets on Day 1.
Scoreboard -
http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/71Delhi vs Maharashtra: Opting to bat first, Delhi lost Gautam Gambhir (1) with 11 runs on the board after a delayed start to the day’s play. While N Dhumal trapped the opener lbw to leave the hosts on 11 for one, P Dadhe accounted for Anuj Rawat 15 runs later. A bit later, Dhruv Shorey was sent back by Chirag Khurana leaving the team wobbling on 55 for three.
Nitish Rana and Rishabh Pant then joined hands to rescue the innings. The pair rebuilt the innings with a 168-run stand until wicketkeeper-batsman was removed by Khurana. Pant returned for 99 off 110 balls. Rana was batting on 110 and Milind on eight when play was stopped due to bad light. Unable to resume play, Delhi were 260 for four at Stumps.
Scorecard -
http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/70 Uttar Pradesh vs Karnataka: Table-toppers Karnataka were comfortably placed at 327 for three at the end of first day’s play.
Although Dhruv Pratap Singh claimed Samarth R (16) to give the hosts an early breakthrough leaving Karnataka on 66 for one. The rest of the lineup ensured the team stays on course for a formidable total. In-form batsman Mayank Agarwal, stitched a 55-run stand with Nischal D until being sent back by Akshdeep Nath ten runs short of a century. The No 3 bat then saw the side through to the end of day’s play. He was involved in a 115-run partnership with Karun Nair until the middle-order bat was bowled by Dhruv Partap Singh for 62.
Nischal (90) and Manish Pandey (63) were at the crease when play ended for the day.
Scorecard -
http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/72
Group BGujarat vs Team Rajasthan: Chintan Gaja claimed eight for 40 to bundle Rajasthan out for 153 in Surat. The 23-year-old pacer registered his career best bowling figures in an innings as he put the defending champions in a commanding position. SA Desai and Piyush Chawla supplemented his efforts by chipping in with a wicket each.
SB Gohil was trapped lbw for 46 by TM ul Haq at the stroke of Stumps leaving Gujarat on 90 for one. Priyank Panchal was batting on 34 when play ended for the day.
Scorecard -
http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/67
Haryana vs Jammu & Kashmir: After a delayed start to the match, Haryana were 119 for seven when play was stopped due to bad light and couldn’t be resumed.
Electing to field, Mohammed Mudhasir dealt a double blow in the ninth over to leave Haryana on 18 for two. And five runs later also claimed SG Rohilla to leave the hosts on the backfoot. Along with fellow pacer, Ram Dayal the bowler kept Haryana on their toes on day 1. While Mudhasir claimed 4/34, Dayal took 3/35.
Scorecard -
http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/68Kerala vs Saurashtra: Having bowled Kerala out for 225, Saurashtra were trailing by 188 runs with all wickets in tact at the end of day’s play.
Dharmendra Jadeja claimed six for 112 while VM Jivrajani and Jaydev Unadkat picked two wickets each to wrap-up the hosts innings on the first day. While the Saurashtra attack dried the flow of runs and struck at regular intervals, Sanju Samson worked to shape the innings. Highest scorer for the side in the innings, the middle-order batsman made 68 off 104 until being bowled by Unadkat.
At stumps, Saurashtra were 37 without loss with Robin Uthappa and Snell Patel in the middle.
Scorecard -
http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/69Group C
Tamil Nadu vs Madhya Pradesh: As the teams fight for a spot in the knockouts, the match between TN and MP was precariously poised at Stumps on Day 1 in the penultimate round of the league phase.
While M Mohammed claimed the openers, Vignesh K claimed the next three batsmen to leave MP reeling at 67 for five. Ankit Sharma and Ankit Dane then joined forces to stem the fall of wickets and stablise the MP innings. the pair put together 120 runs until Dane was removed by MS Washington Sundar. The youngster followed up with the wicket of Puneet Datey in his next over to leave MP on 187 for seven.
Ankit Sharma (75*) then took MP to stumps with Mihir Hirwani.
Scorecard -
http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/61Baroda vs Odisha: Century by Kedar Devdhar and half-centuries by Aditya Waghmode and Deepak Hooda helped Baroda to 231 for three on Day 1.
Devdhar and Waghmode helped the team off to a good start with a 152-run opening stand while Basant Mohanty accounted for the latter. Four overs later, Devdhar was sent back for 104 by Biplab Samantray. Vishnu Solanki and Hooda then ensured that the team stays on course. Baroda were on 239 when the skipper was bowled by Govind Podder for 51.
When play ended for the day, Solanki was batting on 46 with Swapnil Singh on 19.
Scorecard -
http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/62Andhra vs Mumbai: Prithvi Shaw helped rescue Mumbai with his fifth century in first-class cricket after the visitors were left on 20 for two by P Vijay Kumar. The bowler claimed Jay Bista and Shreyas Iyer in the fourth over to peg back the visiting side.
Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav then added 44 runs for the third wicket until the Mumbai vice-captain was removed by Ayappa Bandaru. Siddhesh Lad then joined the opener in rebuilding the innings. The pair batted steadily to keep the innings in the fray and seize the momentum back. The Shaw-Lad pair had added 125 runs for the fourth wicket until the opener was sent back by Bandaru for 114. Four runs later, the bowler accounted for Tare to leave the side on 193 for five.
Lad and Abhishek Nayar (21*) then helped Mumbai to 248 until former was dismissed by KV Sasikanth for 86. Nayar then saw the team through to stumps with Dhawal Kulkarni. Mumbai were 248 for six when play ended for the day .
Scorecard -
http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/66Group D
Chhattisgarh vs Services: The Diwesh Gurudev Pathania-led attack skittled Chhattisgarh out for 130 after electing to field. The bowler claimed 4/45 while V Yadav picked 3/10 as they ran through the opposition. While the Services bowlers dominated the proceedings, Ashutosh Singh put up some resistance with 111-ball 28 while Manoj Singh top-scored for the side with 53 off 117.
Services were 39 without loss with NK Singh (17*) and Ravi Chauhan (21*) in the middle at Stumps.
Scorecard -
http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/64Punjab vs Bengal: After bundling out Punjab for a paltry 147, Bengal were 76 without loss at the end of day’s play.
P Pramanik and B Amit claimed three wickets apiece as Bengal wrecked the hosts lineup. Opener Shubhman Gill made 63 off 102 as he toiled to hold the innings together until being bowled by Aamir Gani.
Bengal opener Abhishek Kumar Raman was batting on 42 with A Eswaran on 33 when play ended for the day in Amritsar.
Scorecard -
http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/63Goa vs Vidarbha: Hosts Goa were bowled out for 239 after electing to bat by the Vidarbha spin attack. The spinner claimed 4/45, A Sarvate picked three and Karn Sharma took two wickets. Lalit Yadav set the ball rolling by accounting for Swapnil Asnodkar with 31 runs on the board and the spinners then ran through the lineup.
Lower middle-order bat, Keenan was the highest scorer for the home team with 72 off 170.
Scorecard - h
ttp://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-2017-18/match/65