Jabbar, Kanitkar make it a smooth journey for MRF

A stroke filled 176-run fourth wicket partnership off 50.3 overs between Tanveer Jabbar (110 not out) and Hrishikesh Kanitkar (79) saw MRF end the first day at 320 for five against All India Associate Bank XI in the Buchi Babu all India invitation cricket tournament at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.

Electing to bat, MRF were given a steady start with openers Aashish Kapoor (30) and Venu Gopal Rao putting on 43 runs off 9.4 overs before the former gave a simple chance to Sudeesh at midoff, off the bowling of Akhil. This brought Hemang Badani (47) to the crease and he and Venu Gopal Rao took the score on to 116. At this stage, Badani was caught short of his crease by a direct hit by Sridhar from deep square leg. Venu Gopal Rao and Tanveer Jabbar then saw MRF through to lunch.

Soon after the interval, Venu Gopal Rao was caught at silly point with the score at 139. The opener had faced 120 balls for his 34 and hit four of them to the ropes. Kanitkar, who came at the fall of the third wicket, looked in fine touch right from the start. At the other end Tanveer Jabbar kept the score ticking. In particular, Jabbar played the spinners with aplomb. Never afraid to step out, he collected two sixes and quite a few of his 14 boundaries during his 218-ball essay off spinners Akhil and Sridhar. The duo took MRF to tea without any further hiccups.

The last session saw Kanitkar change gears. He started playing his strokes and before long reached his half century in style, stepping out to lift the left arm spinner Shridhar over the long on fence for a boundary. Jabbar was the more sedate of the two, preferring to play the waiting game. He chose to hit the loose deliveries which were quite a few towards the closing stages of the day's play with the Associate Bank bowlers looking a tired lot.

Much of the good work done by MRF throughout the day was however undone by some poor cricket at the fag end. With two overs remaining, Kanitkar was caught at point by Akhil off medium pacer Sudeesh. For his 79, he faced 130 balls and hit two sixes and seven fours. In the next over, MSK Prasad followed without having troubled the scorers. N Gautham helped Jabbar negotiate the last two overs of the day.