Khoda hundred puts Rajasthan in command
A summary of matches on the first day of the latest round in the Ranji Trophy.
Cricinfo staff
02-Dec-2005
Gagan Khoda hit an unbeaten 138 to propel Rajasthan to an imposing 302 for 2 against Jharkhand at Jaipur, and was aided by valuable fifties from Rahul Kanwat and Nikhil Doru. Khoda displayed an array of shots in posting his 16th first-class hundred, and Rajasthan threatened to run away with the match on day two. The sole wicket-taker for Jharkhand was Mihir Diwakar, the medium fast bowler, who dismissed opener Anshu Jain early in the day's play. From there on, however, it was Rajasthan's day in the sun.
Vidarbha were 78 for 1 at stumps on the first day at Nagpur after Madhusudan Acharya and Pritam Gandhe, the offspinners, combined to bowl Goa out for 150. It was a dismal batting effort from Goa, with only three batsmen reaching double figures. Goa did manage to claim the wicket of Faiz Fazal to break a 53-run opening stand, but with Vidarbha just 72 runs behind, it will take some very good work from Goa's bowlers to dent their progress on the second day.
An unbeaten 56-run partnership for the seventh wicket between Sadagoppan Ramesh, the former Indian opener, and Suresh Kumar (36*) saw Kerala finish the first day of its Group B match against Jammu & Kashmir on 216 for 6. It was a day of grafting for Kerala's batsman as J&K's bowlers, namely Sameer Khajuria and Jagtar Singh, tied them down with some probing spells either side of lunch. Despite decent starts from a couple key batsmen, no formidable partnerships emerged for Kerala, and in it will be paramount that the two unbeaten batsman take them to a competitive total.
Madhya Pradesh 173 for 7 (Ali 63) v Assam
Scorecard
A marathon spell from Anand Katti, the left-arm spinner who moved from Karnataka this season, helped Assam restrict Madhya Pradesh to 173 for 7 on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy clash at Indore. Electing to bat first, MP were jolted by two early wickets from K Das, the medium-pacer, before the trusted pair of Devendra Bundela and Syed Abbas Ali repaired the damage. Both ground out a 111-run stand and propped up MP, struggling at 50 for 4, before Assam struck three vital blows at the end of the day. Katti managed 19 maidens in his 36 overs and gave Assam a great chance to register their first points of the season.
Scorecard
A marathon spell from Anand Katti, the left-arm spinner who moved from Karnataka this season, helped Assam restrict Madhya Pradesh to 173 for 7 on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy clash at Indore. Electing to bat first, MP were jolted by two early wickets from K Das, the medium-pacer, before the trusted pair of Devendra Bundela and Syed Abbas Ali repaired the damage. Both ground out a 111-run stand and propped up MP, struggling at 50 for 4, before Assam struck three vital blows at the end of the day. Katti managed 19 maidens in his 36 overs and gave Assam a great chance to register their first points of the season.
Himachal Pradesh v Tripura
The game was called off at Dharamshala as political wrangles took centrestage.