Frontline batsmen bolster Gujarat

Valuable contributions from most of their frontline batsmen saw Gujarat score 260 for six at close of play on the first day of their West Zone Ranji Trophy league match against Mumbai at the Lalbhai Contractor staium in Surat on Monday.

Opener AS Kotecha set the ball rolling with a patient 41 off 75 balls. He hit six fours in his stay of nearly two hours. One drop KS Padia followed up with a timely 75 off 220 balls. He batted 282 minutes and hit eleven fours. TN Varsani bolstered the middle order with 53 off 92 balls with eight fours and a six. And skipper and wicket keeper PH Patel shone in the post tea session with an unbeaten 38 off 83 balls. He has so far batted two hours and hit four boundaries. Padia and Varsani added 87 runs for the fourth wicket off 27.4 overs and Padia and Patel then put on 70 runs from 25 overs for the sixth wicket.