JP Yadav and Khurasiya prop up MP

Valuable knocks by JP Yadav and Amay Khurasiya helped Madhya Pradesh to score 214 for five off 90 overs at stumps on the first day of their Central Zone Ranji Trophy league match against Rajasthan at Gwalior on Monday.

Winning the toss, MP were given a steady start with openers Yadav and Ankit Shrivastav (17) putting on 40 runs off 20 overs. Then came the best part of the batting with Yadav and Khurasiya adding 114 runs for the second wicket off 36.4 overs. But at 154, MP suffered a double blow. First, Yadav was bowled by Rahul Kanwat for 70. He faced 162 balls and hit seven fours. In the following over, Khurasiya was leg before to Krishan Kumar for 59. Khurasiya faced 126 balls and had just one boundary hit.

There was another double blow for MP shortly afterwards when at 174 they lost two more wickets, those of Abbas Ali (17) and Devendra Bundela (4). However Nikhil Patvardhan (21) and CA Pandit (14) added 40 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket off 23.4 overs to put their side in a more comforting frame of mind at close of play.