Published: Oct 01, 2015, 08:04 PM (IST)
Edited: Oct 01, 2015, 08:05 PM (IST)
Chennai: Yusuf Pathan and Bhargav Bhatt grabbed four wickets each with their spin bowling as Baroda shot out Tamil Nadu for a meagre 125 in their first innings on the first day of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group B cricket league match here today. Pathan (4/29) and Bhatt (4/32) exploited the slow-turning pitch at the MA Chidambaram Stadium as Tamil Nadu batsmen fell to their guiles. Off-spinner Pathan’s figures were striking as he bowled 10.4 overs on the trot from the pavilion end for his four wickets while his ally Bhatt, a left-arm spinner, scalped two wickets each in his as many spells. UPDATES: Tamil Nadu vs Baroda, Ranji Trophy 2015-16, Group B match, Day 1
32-year-old Pathan had cautioned the home team players yesterday that Baroda could be third time lucky after losing twice to Tamil Nadu in earlier Ranji matches. Rightly, he shone well with the ball and it remains to be seen what is in store with his willow. At close, Baroda were 33 for 1 in 16 overs after the loss of opener Hitesh Solanki (5). Kedar Devdhar (17) and captain Aditya Waghmode (4) were at the crease when stumps were drawn.
Earlier, playing in his 100th first class match, Tamil Nadu captain Abhinav Mukund opted to bat first and he stayed at the crease for just 10 balls before being out for a duck. Tamil Nadu were 1/1 at that time. There were some hope for the hosts as K Bharath Shankar (28, 115b, 4×4) and Baba Aparajith (44, 90b, 4×4, 2×6) adapted well to the conditions to share 65 runs for the second wicket.
But, once Shankar missed the line of the ball to be clean bowled by Bhatt, the floodgates were opened and Tamil Nadu lost eight wickets for the addition of just 59 runs to be all out for 125. In Baroda’s reply, the openers were cautious in their approach and gamely negotiated the first six overs. When left-arm spinner Rahil Shah was brought on, Hitesh Solanki miss to read the turn of the ball to be bowled for 5.
Brief scores:
Tamil Nadu 125 in 57.4 overs (Baba Aparajith 44; Yusuf Pathan 4 for 29, Bhargav Bhatt 4 for 32) lead Baroda 33 for 1 in 16 overs (Kedar Devdhar 17*, Aditya Waghmode 4*) by 92 runs.
