Ranji Trophy 2012-13, Round I, Day 1

5.10pm What a satisfying first day for Ranji Trophy 2012-13. Hundreds for Sachin Tendulkar, Ajinkya Rahane, Parthiv Patel, Irfan Pathan and Aditya Waghmode. Five-fors for Umesh Yadav, Imtiaz Ahmed, Timir Chanda. Last year's semi-finalists, Haryana, shot out for 55. A glittering Delhi batting rolled over for 235 against UP, in recent history one of the best bowling sides in Ranji Trophy. A player born in Nagaland made his first-class debut, venues as diverse as Lahli and Ghaziabad were part of action, bad light and rain made slightly annoying appearances, and there were comebacks both with bat and ball. We will see you tomorrow with, hopefully, similarly exciting action. Cheers

4.50pm - time to slowly wind up for today
Group A first Bad light brought an early end to Bengal v Rajasthan in Kolkata. Bengal are 187 for 4, with Subhomoy Das missing out on a century by five runs.

Parthiv Patel's 162 took Gujarat from 30 for 2 to 317 for 5.

Hyderabad are 239 for 7 against Punjab in Mohali. Laxman scored 23.

Centuries from Tendulkar and Rahane have taken Mumbai to 343 for 4.

Group B
Haryana were bowled out for their lowest-ever total, 55. Umesh Yadav took five, and Vidarbha have already claimed lead.

A rain delay meant only 31 overs in Cuttack, during which time Tamil Nadu lost the wickets of M Vijay and S Badrinath for 66 runs

Centuries from Irfan Pathan and Aditya Waghmode have taken Baroda past 300 after they were 80 for 4.

Group C
Jharkhand have reached 81 for 1 in reply to J&K's 195.

Kerala are 189 for 8 after a delayed start against Himachal.

Services are reeling at 73 for 5 against Andhra after yet another delayed start.

Assam are 220 for 5 against Tripura, whose Timir Chanda took all five wickets to fall. How about an all-10, Timir?

4.45pm - The upper-cut gets Tendulkar
Amol Karhadkar reports: "Anureet Singh takes over from Hardik Rathod. Bowls a short one that rises around shoulder height. An attempted upper cut-lands in Parag Madkaikar's stretched hands at the second slip. 137 runs, 136b, 181m, 21x4, 3x6. Mumbai 343 for 4"

4.30pm - UP take first day in Ghaziabad
After bowling the star-studded Delhi out for 235, UP finished the day at 40 for 1. Mohammad Kaif and Mukul Dagar were the unbeaten batsmen. The day belonged to Imtiyaz Ahmed and Praveen Kumar, who took five and three.

Sharda Ugra sums up the day thus: "On a gloomy hazy day in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh came out beaming at 40-1, after dismissing Delhi for 235 in 65.2 overs. Despite the grim weather and absence of sunlight, 11 wickets including that of some celebrated Delhi and India batsmen, meant that day one matched the festivities around the ground packed with enthusiastic and voluble spectators. UP's decision to win the toss and field first as they got rid of the Delhi top four – Gambhir, Sehwag, Unmukt Chand and Virat Kohli – well before lunch. It was only an 86-run partnership between Mithun Manhas and Punit Bisht for the fifth wicket that could take the Delhi total past 200. Yet a incisive spell of quick bowling by Imtiaz Ahmed after lunch, dismissed both Bisht and Manhas, Delhi losing its last six wickets for 43 runs in 11.1 overs."

4.20pm - And then there were three
Irfan Pathan reaches his hundred too. As does Aditya Waghmode. Baroda 281 for 4 after they lost their last wicket on 88. Karnataka bowlers being made to work hard

4.15pm - Rahane gets there too
This from Amol Karhadkar: "Immediately after the 80th over, the new ball is taken. But Ajinkya Rahane first drives Hardik Rathod through covers and follows it up with a single to complete a well-deserved ton - 193b, 281m, 12x4"

4.15pm - pitch invasion
Reports Sid Talya: "Tendulkar hits a century on his return to the Mumbai team – 100 off 103 balls, 14 fours and three sixes. 139 minutes. A fan runs onto the ground to shake his hand – a familiar face at the Wankhede – Vijay Gaundalkar. This happened when he was on 99. Partnership is now 150. Rahane is now on 94."

4.05pm
Sachin Tendulkar has just scored his first first-class hundred since January 2011. His last century was a gem on a brute in Cape Town, an effort that won his the ESPNcricinfo award for the Test innings of 2011. This is Tendulkar's 79th first-class hundred, and 18th for Mumbai. He is only two behind Sunil Gavaskar's Indian record of 81

4pm - Three India aspirants approaching hundreds Sachin Tendulkar and Ajinkya Rahane are involved in a race to three figures at Wankhede. Staying in the west, Irfan Pathan has rescued Baroda from 88 for 4, and is 92 not out. Along with Aditya Waghmode, he has added 162 for the fifth wicket

3.40pm - A great day for Nagaland cricket
He is 4 not out for Assam, and by playing this game, Hokaito Zhimomi has become the first player from Nagaland to play first-class cricket

3.35pm - Time for some Group C updates
Bishan Bedi's Jammu & Kashmir have been bowled out for 195 by Jharkhand. After a delayed start, Aakash Chopra's Himachal have reduced Kerala to 120 for 7. The game in Anantapur began only after tea, but Andhra have reduced Services to 39 for 3. Assam are 206 for 4 against Tripura

3.25pm - Half-century for Tendulkar too
Sid Talya reports from Wankhede: "Tendulkar brings up his half-century, driving Sanjay Bangar on the up past extra cover – 53 off 69 balls, seven boundaries and a six. Mumbai are 236 for 3 in the 64th over. Rahane is unbeaten on 84. "

3.15pm - Delhi bowled out for 235
Five for Imtiyaz, Three for Praveen, and one each for Bhuvneshwar and Murtuza, and the star-studded Delhi are bowled out for 235

3.05pm
Good news from Ghaziabad. Praveen Kumar is back on the field after tea, and despite some stretching during it, Praveen has just completed one over

3pm - Laxman is out
VVS Laxman has been trapped lbw for 23 off medium-pacer Amitoze Singh. Hyderabad 169 for 5 now. Amitoze has taken three

2.55pm - Lawrence Booth at Wankhede
Wisden's Lawrence Booth is in Mumbai covering the England tour, and he just sent us this: "It was slightly surreal watching Sachin bat in a virtually empty stadium – and symbolic testimony, perhaps, to the astonishing fact that he still cares about the game after all this time. But it was a rare pleasure, too. And all at my first Ranji Trophy match! It felt as if there were two battles going on out there: Mumbai v Railways, the historical niceties of which were largely lost on me, and Sachin against himself. In this, Sachin inevitably prevailed. Cautious at first, he opened up against the spinners, and I left at tea for an England press conference unable to convey the news that, as against New Zealand, there was a gap between his bat and pad…"

Tea update from Sid Talya at Wankhede
Then off his 56th delivery, Tendulkar launches Shivkant Shukla for a six over deep midwicket. At tea, Mumbai are 214 for 3. Rahane is unbeaten on 75 off 140 balls (10 fours) and Tendulkar is on 40 off 58, having hit five fours and a six. The partnership has grown to 71.

2.40pm
As bad light suspends play again in Kolkata, Sid Talya sends this in: "Back-to-back boundaries for Tendulkar this time, off left-arm spinner Ashish Yadav. The first one was flighted generously, and smashed over mid-on; the second was a low full toss that was drilled past the same fielder. The stand is 50 now, for the fourth wicket, in 71 minutes and 94 balls."

And Imtiyaz has completed his five-for in Ghaziabad. At tea, Delhi 219 for 8

Meanwhile Amol Karhadkar has found out that the Punjab selectors didn't want to push Yuvraj for seven days in a row.

2.35pm - PK injured in Ghaziabad
Imtiyaz Ahmed has pushed Delhi back further after an 86-run fifth-wicket stand between Puneet Bisht and Mithun Manhas. Imtiyaz has taken three in this spell, reducing Delhi to 217 for 7. But, and this is not good news. Praveen Kumar has gone down in his follow-through, and is getting the doctors' attention. Not sure if it is a hamstring or a cramp or a strain. Praveen limps off the field, with his arms around the shoulders of two team-mates. Raina to finish the over that Praveen was bowling

2.30pm Over in Cuttack, M Vijay is out for 15. Abhinav Mukund and S Badrinath are batting. Dinesh Karthik to follow

2.12pm - Das tragedy
Subhomoy Das, looking for his fourth first-class century, has been dismissed lbw in Kolkata for 95. That ball was headed down leg. Bengal 180 for 4 against defending champions Rajasthan. Oh I forgot, the light has improved in Kolkata, and we are playing at least for the moment

2.08pm - Very Very... you know what
In Mohali, VVS Laxman has come out to bat. Hyderabad 143 for 3, no wickets yet for Harbhajan. And Yuvraj Singh, who took a five-for against England A yesterday, is not playing this game

2.05pm - Tendulkar's first boundary
Sends in Sid Talya, "Tendulkar’s first boundary came off his 31st ball, a slightly short delivery cracked through point. Anureet Singh was the bowler. Tendulkar’s batting on 10."

Talking of boundaries, Puneet Bisht in Ghaziabad has hit 11 fours in his 46. He has lost Mithun Manhas' company, though

2.02pm - five, five 55 Haryana, last year's semi-finalists have been bowled out for 55 in Lahli. In the semi-final last year, they scored 97 and 120. Watch out the English, they are your next opposition.

Umesh Yadav 13-8-18-5. Sandeep Singh 10.1-6-11-4. Faiz Fazal got the remaining wicket. PY Tehlan, the only Haryana batsman to reach double figures, top-scored with 18

2pm - bad light in Bengal
Poor light in Kolkata has forced an early tea in the Bengal-Rajasthan game. Manoj Tiwary had just fallen, and Subhomoy Das was moving towards his century when players were taken off the field. Bengal 174 for 3, Das 94 not out

1.50pm Amol Karhadkar is not impressed. He says, "We all have grown up reading and hearing tales about about how they used to pour in to the Wankhede from all over Mumbai once "He" walked in to bat. It's been 20 minutes since Sachin Tendulkar has walked in and barring a couple of men in the MCA Pavilion, hardly anyone has joined the sparse crowd at the Wankhede. It seems the news hasn't yet trickled down on to the Queen's Necklace or the Churchgate platform."

Forget Tendulkar, Rahane has reached his fifty. Reports Sid Talya, "Ajinkya Rahane, who was dropped on 7, has reached his half-century. He’s driven well down the ground, looked especially strong on the back foot. He brought up his half-century with a punch through extra cover off the back foot. Mumbai are 152 for 3 in the 50th over."

1.35pm - More Yuvraj stuff from Menaria
Over at Eden Gardens, Ashok Menaria has pulled off a stunner at midwicket to send back Manoj Tiwary. Tiwary thought he had carted a Madhur Khatri offbreak over Menaria, but the tall Yuvraj clone jumped full length to pluck this overhead catch. And then his celebration, throwing the ball up with his right hand, was completely Yuvraj-like. Tiwary scored 42. Bengal 169 for 3 after 50 overs. Subhomoy Das into the 90s

1.30pm - Tendulkar off the mark
Says Sid Talya, "A huge roar as Tendulkar gets off the mark off his sixth delivery, works it through midwicket for a couple. There is a short square leg in place for him. Hardik Rathod bowls a bouncer, Tendulkar ducks, and the crowd roars again, this time at the bowler."

This is what Talya reported yesterday, on Tendulkar's Ranji return. He tells me at least 350 people are in, and the word is spreading and he can see people walk in through the Vijay Merchant gate

1.28pm - First hundred of the season
Parthiv Patel has scored the first hundred of this year's Ranji Trophy. Nineteen fours, 120 balls, strike rate of 83.33. Gujarat 163 for 2 after being 30 for 2.

1.22pm - Tendulkar is in
Okay, everybody head to Wankhede Stadium. Rohit Sharma is run out, and Sachin Tendulkar is the new man in. Here's Sid Talya's report:

"Rohit Sharma is run out. He was running to the striker’s end. Rahane just dabbed the ball past short leg, Rohit responded and the fielder recovered well to chase, pick and throw down the stumps at the striker’s end. Rohit was livid after being dismissed. But the crowd in the Vijay Merchant Stand, the Garware Pavilion, the MCA Pavilion is on its feet. Big cheers as Sachin Tendulkar makes his way in. Amit Paunikar was the fielder at short leg. Rohit made 18 off 39 balls. He struck four boundaries. Mumbai are 149 for 3, after 45.2 overs. Rahane is unbeaten on 46."

1.20pm - Parthiv the fiend
In Indore, Parthiv Patel came in to bat at 30 for 2, and is already 95 not out out of a score of 154 for 2. He is all set to beat Bengal's Subhomoy Das, who is 83 not out at Eden Gardens - to the first century of the tournament

1.05pm
Umesh Yadav has finally been scored off. After 6-6-0-1, he is now 9-7-10-2. Haryana 46 for 5 after 31 overs. Scratch that. Yadav is all over Haryana. One more wicket. 11-8-10-3 now

Meanwhile over in Mumbai, Rohit Sharma has hit Murali Kartik for back-to-back fours. Says Sid Talya, "Two lovely shots back-to-back from Rohit Sharma. Kartik, bowling round the wicket, tossed it up and on each occasion, Rohit charged out, smacking him over midwicket and then mid-on. It’s still fairly early in his innings."

12.55pm
Journalists in Ghaziabad have received their lunch too. It's packed boxes, but is still rich: Aloo Palak, Shahi Paneer, Salad, Rice, Hot Rotis and Gulab Jamun. Nothing beats Mohali hospitality, though. They install a tandoor on the terrace, and almost all of the best and richest of Punjabi food is on offer.

12.40pm - the leisurely Ranji lunches Wankhede Stadium has laid out a sumptuous buffet for the press. Sid Talya will be a little slow in the second session after having enjoyed every thing on the following menu: Green Salad, Paneer Dopiyaaza, Chicken Masala, Chapati, Rice, Rasam, Vanilla Ice Cream, Beans vegetable

Sharda Ugra and other journalists in Ghaziabad, though, have been told they will be served only after the players have eaten. She has better news to report too: the stadium is full to capacity now. The crowds will be disappointed no doubt after the failure of all big stars, but this will give them a chance to watch a Ranji stalwart, Mithun Manhas. And also the crafty UP attack

12.35pm - Time for Abhinav and Vijay
After the rain delay in Bhubaneswar, Odisha have won the toss, and asked Tamil Nadu to bat first. Abhinav Mukund and M Vijay will open soon, and watch out for S Badrinath too

12.05pm - Sid Talya at Wankhede
Lunch – Mumbai are 104 for 2 after 35 overs, 152 minutes. Rahane is on 25 off 54 balls with four boundaries, Rohit is 0 off 7. A bit of a let-down for the crowd that’s been building up gradually in one section of the ground – only because Sachin Tendulkar didn’t turn up at No.4. Rahane has had a let-off, Rohit is himself searching for some form.

From Sharda Ugra in Ghaziabad: At lunch, Delhi 123 for 4 after 34 overs. Manhas 12 not out, Puneet Bisht 9 not out. How Delhi must be missing Rajat Bhatia, just the man for these situations. He injured himself during the Champions League.

Other lunch scores: Assam 78 for 2 against Tripura. Bengal 96 for 2 against Rajasthan, J&K 104 for 5 against a Dhoni-less Jharkhand, Gujarat 114 for 2 against MP. Odisha v TN and Andhra v Services haven't even started. Baroda are 84 for 3 against Karnataka. Kerala 42 for 3 against Aakash Chopra's new team Himachal Pradesh.

Hyderabad are 84 for 1 against Punjab. Harbhajan Singh 4-0-8-1. VVS Laxman not yet in

11.52am - the great Tendulkar tease
Murali Kartik strikes, he gets one to bounce off a good length. That surprised Aditya Tare, who was well set. It appeared to go straight on, clip the pads on the way to the stumps. So, the Mumbai crowd – about a couple of hundred strong now, most of them at the Vijay Merchant pavilion will get to see Tendulkar….no they won’t, no they won’t. Rohit Sharma walks in. It’s not Tendulkar, it’s Rohit at No.4. Mumbai 100 for 2 in the 32nd over.

11.50am - tag-team catch to get rid of Chand
The star-studded Delhi team is losing wickets fast. Unmukt Chand has fallen to some good team work in the field. Tries a shot down the ground off Ali Murtaza, and the ball ricochets off the knee of Tanmay Srivastava at forward short leg, and Mukesh Dagar at silly point is alert enough to catch the rebound. Chand c Dagar b Murtuza 28 (46b, 83 minutes). Delhi 106 for 4 after 30.4 overs

11.45am - Yadav - six overs, six maidens
Over in Lahli, an Umesh Yadav-led Vidarbha attack has Haryana on the ropes. They are 33 for 4 after 23 overs. Yadav has bowled six overs for no run. That's right: 6-6-0-1. Sandeep Singh has taken two; his figures: 8-4-11-2

11.30am - Kohli gone too
Virat Kohli has gloved Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Mohammad Kaif at first slip. Kohli c Kaif b Bhuvneshwar 14 (19b, 21minutes). Delhi 98 for 3 after 27 overs

11.20pm - young batsmen update
In Kolkata, Mumbai and Ghaziabad, the young Indian batsmen, who will be there or thereabouts for the next few years, are batting. The fall of second wicket at Eden Gardens has brought in Manoj Tiwary, who scored 93 against England A only three days ago. Ajinkya Rahane is in at Wankhede Stadium, and, Sid Talya tells me, has just been dropped by Murali Kartik at second slip, off the bowling of left-arm quick Hardik Rathod. Over in Ghaziabad, India's Test openers, who still average 53 as a Test opening partnership, are out for 25 and 32, but now Virat Kolhi is in.

11.10am - Gambhir lbw shouldering arms to Imtiaz Ahmed
Both of India's Test openers have failed to create a huge impression. Gambhir is now out not offering a shot to right-arm quick, Imtiyaz Ahmed. He lasted a little over an hour and a half. Imtiyaz, if you might remember Sharda Ugra's preview from yesterday, is the man everyone says is the quickest among all fast bowlers on display in this match. Gambhir lbw Imtiyaz 32 (63b, 96minutes). Virat Kohli, Sharda tells me, walks out to a loud whistling welcome. He joins Unmukt Chand, who is 18 not out

11.00am - captain Vinay Kumar off to good start
Over in Baroda, R Vinay Kumar and Stuart Binny are putting Yusuf Pathan's home side through a proper working over. After 20 overs, Baroda are 29 for 2, with Vinay and Stuart Bnny taking a wicket each. Last evening, Vinay was packing up his bags to rush to Baroda after finishing the India A game against the English. He tweeted this is the first time in his career he is playing seven days in a row. Oh, for those timeless Tests. Here's what Vinay had to say before the start of the Ranji campaign:

"The team has been doing well in the lead up to the season. We’ve played many tournaments and have done well too; we’ve won the Safi Darashah tournament, then won the Buchi Babu tournament in Chennai and did well in the Moin-ud-Dowlah Trophy too. We are hoping to carry forward the same kind of form into the Ranji Trophy season."

10.50am - slow starts update
Tamil Nadu v Odisha in Bhubaneswar, and Andhra's game in Anantapur have not yet begun. Rain seems to be the reason. Almost all of Andhra Pradesh has been receiving rains. Some relief, too, for Abhinav Mukund, who finished his India A game at 4.30pm yesterday and then took a flight straight to Odisha

10.40am - Before Tendulkar, there is Rahane
Reports Siddhartha Talya: Mumbai lose Kaustubh Pawar. Anureet Singh, bowling from the Garware end, got the ball to just move away from short of a good length, and Pawar poked at it to get a thin edge: 45 for 1 in 14 overs. Kaustubh made 24 in 44 balls, batted 63 minutes, hit three boundaries. Ajinkya Rahane walks in. Rahane played a three-day warm-up game for India A against England A, and is now playing for Mumbai. If this match lasts four days, he’d have played seven days of cricket in a row. Rahane's thoughts on this season are here

10.30am - Siddhartha Talya at Wankhede Stadium
Sanjay Bangar, the Railways captain, had said yesterday that seamers could expect some assistance from the pitch as it had a bit of grass cover. Just a short while before the toss, he walked to the pitch and had a close look at the surface. His three seamers, so far, have managed to nip the ball around – though there doesn’t seem to be any swing – and beat the bat. There have been edges that have gone past third slip and gully, but the Mumbai openers have, for the most part, been solid. They’ve picked up quick singles, defended well, occasionally played away from the body but have looked largely secure. And just as I type, Aditya Tare has driven Krishnakant Upadhyay down the ground for a boundary.

A look to my right and the numbers in the Vijay Merchant Pavilion have grown. There are some spectators under the MCA Pavilion and the Garware Pavilion - I would put the turnout to about 80-100 overall right now. Score: 36 for 0 in 13 overs

10.23am - Sehwag c Amir Khan b Praveen
A circumspect Virender Sehwag has failed to last the first hour. Just after he looked like getting going with a cracking boundary, he edged Praveen Kumar through to the wicketkeeper Amir Khan. This was the seventh over of Praveen's first spell. So Raina has made up for that drop by getting Praveen to bowl an extra over. Sehwag 25 off 53, Delhi 39 for 1 after 12.2 overs

10.17am - Hydration break at Eden Gardens This one is in the same league as "avenue of apprehension", coined by some Aussie commentator. Vivek Razdan, former India, Delhi and Tamil Nadu quick, who also made his ODI debut along with Sachin Tendulkar who is still playing, calls the first drinks break of the season "hydartion break" on Star Cricket. At the first hydration break, Bengal, asked to bat, are 45 for 1. Subhomoy Das 24 not out, Writam Porel 13 not out. The pitch already showing signs of variable bounce. Some are kicking up, some shooting through

10.15am - Raina drops Sehwag
Sharda Ugra informs me that Suresh Raina has dropped Virender Sehwag at second slip, off the bowling of Bhuvaneshwar Kumar. Delhi are off to an uncharacteristically circumspect start. They are 20 for 0 after 10 overs. And Sehwag, imagine that, has scored just 14 in 10 overs

10.10am - Siddhartha Talya at Wankhede Stadium
An empty Wankhede Stadium to start the Ranji season, but the word has spread that Mumbai have chosen to bat and Sachin Tendulkar is playing. Fifteen minutes into the game, there’s a group of about 20-30 spectators who have taken their seats under the Vijay Merchant pavilion. Word spreads quickly in Mumbai, and that group is bound to grow. A grand turnout of about 10 journalists in the press-box at this point; that number too, will rise. First look at left-arm seamer Hardik Rathod, with an action starkly reminiscent of a tall Mumbai seamer who’ll have a bowl at some point in the match.

Mumbai have gone in with the expected combination of three seamers and two specialist spinners.

Mumbai: Ajit Agarkar, Sachin Tendulkar, Zaheer Khan, Ramesh Powar, Abhishek Nayar, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Kaustubh Pawar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Aditya Tare (wk), Iqbal Abdulla.

Railways: Sanjay Bangar, Mahesh Rawat, Shivakant Shukla, Amit Paunikar, Nitin Bhille, Ashish Yadav, PM Madkaikar, Anureet Singh, Krishnakant Upadhyay, Hardik Rathod, Murali Kartik

9.50am - Sharda Ugra from Ghaziabad
India’s Test openers coming out to bat with Praveen Kumar bowling the first over. A security "presence", a hooting crowd, an opening "ceremony" with a release of tricolour balloons. A more ceremonial opening for a domestic cricket match would be hard to find. UP and Delhi began their Ranji Trophy season opener under a thick north Indian winter haze at the Nehru Staidum in Ghaziabad.

The wicket at the Nehru Stadium has a good covering of grass but not the bounce the quick bowlers may dream of. The Delhi openers spent their first few overs with circumspection with Bhuvaneshwar hitting Sehwag low on his pads in his third over of the morning.

Delhi are playing with their full strength team, having left out Parwinder Awana; UP are being led by Suresh Raina and as expected have left out Sudeep Tyagi.

Delhi Sehwag, Gambhir, Chand, Kohli, Manhas, Bisht, Ishant Sharma, Sangwan, Nehra, Vikas Mishra, Narwal

UP Srivastava, Dagar, Kaif, Parvinder Singh, Raina, Alam, Amir Khan, Ali Murtaza, Praveen Kumar, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Imtiaz Ahmed

9.35am - bowling first is all the rage

#RanjiTrophy In group A, all captains winning the toss have elected to field. Raj, Rlys, MP and Punjab v Bengal, Mumbai, Guj, and Hyd

— Sanjay Dixit (@Sanjay_Dixit) November 2, 2012

9.25am - Tendulkar plays despite stomach bug
Toss news is coming in from various centres. The big news is, if you are in and around South Mumbai, do make it to Wankhede Stadium because Railways have asked Mumbai to bat first. Sachin Tendulkar, who I am told was struggling to keep his food down even until last night, is playing the match.

In the haze of Ghaziabad, amid the north-Indian winter haze and dew, Uttar Pradesh have inserted Delhi. It will soon be Praveen Kumar bowling to Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag

9.10am - Ball trouble makes early appearance
As is the problem often with balls used in Indian domestic cricket, the ball has gone out of shape after two overs at Eden Gardens. Some day, we will find out proper reasons behind this and get proper balls that last the 80 overs they are supposed to. In the first over with the changed ball, Pankaj Singh has got the Bengal opener Jayojit Basu on the hook. Bengal: 8 for 1 against Rajasthan at Eden Gardens

9am - Let Ranji begin
The pitches have been rolled; the grass has been cut; the sight screens have been painted white' permissions to use cricket grounds have been acquired from local civic bodies; shamianas are in place at grounds that don't have stands; caterers have been contracted with orders of lots of dal, paneer, butter chicken, curd rice and curd; an army of umpires, scorers and other assistants have been employed; and more than 400 cricketers are hoping again. The biggest first-class tournament in the world, in terms of number of matches happening at the same time, has kicked off.

Fittingly defending champions Rajasthan have begun half an hour earlier than others, playing as they are in Kolkata, the eastern part of India where the sun sets early, necessitating early starts. Rajasthan have won the toss and put Bengal in