Andhra top order strike form

Losing three wickets fairly quickly late in the day, Andhra lost some of the advantage that their top order batsmen gave them on the opening day of their three day Cooch Behar Trophy South Zone league match against Karnataka at the Visakhapatanam Steel Plant stadium on Wednesday. Still the hosts managed to score 281 for six at stumps.

Opting to bat, Andhra lost TK Ayappaswamy (2) in the second over of the day. But thereafter Gnaneswara Rao (72), ASK Varma (75) and skipper YV Rao (68 not out) all played notable roles in Andhra making a strong recovery. Gnaneswara Rao faced 141 balls and hit eight fours and a six while Varma faced 147 balls and hit six fours and a six. The captain faced 138 balls and hit five of them to the ropes. Medium pacer SV Lazarus was the most successful bowler during the day taking three for 54 while M Dharmichand, who took two of the three wickets to fall late in the day had figures of two for 65.