Purkayastha's fourth consecutive five-for

Assam offspinner Swarupam Purkayastha registered yet another five-wicket haul, this time dismantling Goa's top order in Porvorim. His 13 wickets in the previous game - the best performance by any bowler this season - had set up an innings win last week in Hyderabad. It continued to flow in the same vein.

Dheeraj Jadhav, who is playing his 100th first-class game, tossed the ball to Purkayastha after trying out four others bowlers and the results were immediate. Purkayastha broke a solid opening partnership of 67 and took two more quick wickets to reduce Goa to 73 for 4. He then removed Swapnil Asnodkar and Saurabh Bandekar to complete his fourth consecutive five-for. Goa lost its wickets in clumps - 4 for 6, 3 for 13 and 3 for 6 - and were bowled out in 73 overs. By the close of play, Assam had rattled to 69 in the 15th over, but lost KB Arun Karthik off the last ball of the day.

Saurabh Tiwary's 13th first-class century, and his second this Ranji season, set up a strong opening day for Jharkhand against Hyderabad, in Ranchi. Tiwary came to the crease after Jharkhand's top three had already established a foundation of 103 in 27 overs, of which the openers - Prakash Munda and Ishan Kishan - had added 60. Hyderabad made another breakthrough after a 44-run stand between Tiwary and Kishan (66), but had to wait for long time before picking up another wicket. Tiwary and Ishank Jaggi closed doors on the Hyderabad bowlers with a 147-run stand. Tiwary fell towards the end of the day - in the 85th over - just after he had completed his century off 192 balls, but Jaggi was unbeaten on 58.

On a shortened day in Agartala, Kerala bowlers, led by Nizar Niyas, pulled back Tripura after the hosts had made a solid opening. Tripura lost the toss but were 80 for 1 in 39 overs before Sandeep Warrier had Abhijit Dey bowled for 12. The incoming batsmen, however, neither provided any resistance nor were able to increase the scoring. Tripura lost five wickets for 47 - three of them for five runs - to end the day on 127 for 6 from 63 overs. Niyas was the most successful bowler, with 3 for 25, and others chipped in too. Bishal Ghosh, the Tripura opener, watched the collapse from the other end and was unbeaten on 59 off 191 balls.

Only 34 overs were possible on the first day of Group C tie between Himachal Pradesh and Andhra in Dharamsala as persistent rain washed out play after lunch. By that time, Andhra, who were put in, had recovered from the loss of an early wicket, to Rishi Dhawan, and posted 123 for 2. The major contribution came through an 89-run stand between Srikar Bharat (47) and Murumulla Sriram. Bharat was caught behind off Dhawan, three short of his half-century, but Sriram was unbeaten on 45 when play was called off for the day.