Sharath's hundred lifts Tamil Nadu to formidable total

Tamil Nadu stormed to a formidable first innings score of 566, thanks to a patient hundred by Sridharan Sharath in their South Zone Ranji Trophy match against Hyderabad at the Nuclear Fuel Complex ground in Hyderabad on Thursday. The hosts were 18 without loss at close of play, with Daniel Manohar and A Nanda Kishore playing out five overs without damage.

Tamil Nadu lost centurion Rajat Bhatia in the second over of the day after he had added just two runs to his overnight score of 132. The promising R Sathish, playing his second first-class game, fell to the occasional medium pacer Daniel Manohar for nine, seemingly unable to bear up to the heavy expectations.

Skipper Robin Singh and Sharath had added 56 for the fifth wicket when Manohar struck again, bowling Robin for 33 (47 balls, 4 fours). The flashy Reuben Paul struck a few lusty blows in a brief stay at the wicket before he was leg before to Parth Satwalkar for 26. All rounder Sadagopan Mahesh stemmed the breach, joining Sharath in a 127 run seventh wicket stand.

Sharath's six and three quarter hour long vigil finally came to an end at his individual score of 122 (308 balls, 17 fours). Mahesh fell five runs later, trapped leg before for 68 (115 balls, 7 fours and a six) by Manohar who went on to collect his fourth victim in WD Balaji Rao. The innings ended on 566 when Kanwaljit Singh, in his 100th Ranji Trophy game, having toiled for over 49 overs without reward, took his first wicket, accepting a return catch from Kumaran. Kanwaljit's spin twin Raju went wicketless in 33 overs, the bulk of the damage being done by Manohar who finished with 4/72.