Sandeep, Milind create history for Hyderabad

Hyderabad staged a remarkable recovery against Services with B Sandeep and No. 9 CV Milind, a former India Under-19 player, stitching together 267 - the highest eighth-wicket partnership in the team's history, and also the first instance of a Hyderabad No. 9 scoring a century - to take them to 580 for 9 declared at the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai.

Hyderabad, 141 for 6 at one point on the opening day, resumed on 303 for 7 and continued to pile on the runs. Sandeep, not out on 83 overnight, notched up an unbeaten 203 - his maiden double-hundred in first-class cricket. Milind, the left-arm pacer, scored his maiden first-class century. In response, Services began solidly, ending the day on 77 for no loss. However, there was a moment of concern for Services, with Anshul Gupta having to retire-hurt.

A few kilometres south of BKC, Rituraj Singh, who has moved from Rajasthan to Goa, inflicted a big collapse on Kerala as they went from their overnight 290 for 2 to 342 all out at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. Rituraj's 7 for 42 were his best first-class figures. He bowled "nice controlled outswing", according to an expert present at the venue, as Kerala lost their last eight wickets for 41 runs. Five of Rituraj's victims were caught behind.

As many as seven of Goa's batsmen reached double figures, but nobody crossed 33. At stumps, they were 169 for 6, with Saurabh Bandekar and Shadab Jakati, unbeaten on 22 and 19, holding the key for first-innings points.

Beginning the day on 99, Rajat Paliwal, who has moved from Services to Haryana, ended six short of a double-hundred as Haryana piled on 502 against Jammu & Kashmir in Cuttack. He was helped along by No. 10 Sanjay Pahal, who scored 59 and was part of a 123-run ninth-wicket partnership with Paliwal. Pahal also added 25 with Mohit Sharma for the last wicket, before removing J&K opener Umar Nazir in the first over. Shubham Khajuria (48*) and Pranav Gupta (25*), though, saw J&K through to stumps without further damage. They ended the day on 84 for 1, still 418 behind.

Himachal Pradesh's new captain, left-arm spinner Bipul Sharma, took his side close to first-innings points after lifting them from 150 for 6 against Chhattisgarh in Kanpur. Adding 60 for the seventh wicket with Sumeet Varma, Bipul took his side to within 28 of Chhattisgarh's 238.

Offspinner Gurvinder Singh gave Himachal a good start to the day as he took three quick wickets to prevent Chhattisgarh from adding many to their overnight 212 for 7. Himachal made a good start, but lost six wickets for 72 after being 78 for 0. Left-arm spinner Sumit Ruikar was the wrecker-in-chief, with his second first-class five-for.

DB Prasanth scored a second consecutive hundred, to go with Hanuma Vihari's first hundred of the season, as Andhra lost only two wickets in the day on their way to a 206-run lead at stumps against Tripura in Valsad.

Andhra resumed on 47 for 1, having bowled Tripura out for 171 the previous evening. They didn't lose a wicket till the 60th over of the day, when left-arm spinner Gurinder Singh (2 for 92) dismissed Prasanth for 129 to end a second-wicket partnership of 240 with Vihari. Ricky Bhui (64) then put on 100 for the third wicket with Vihari, who ended the day unbeaten on 144, along with DB Ravi Teja (10*). Andhra were 377 for 3, after having elected to field on the first day.