Tripura restrict Madhya Pradesh to 251

Valuable knocks by skipper Sachin Dholpure and one drop M Mishra helped Madhya Pradesh to score 251 before they were all out in the last over on the opening day of their Cooch Behar Trophy semifinal against Tripura at Pune on Saturday.

Opting to bat, MP lost wicketkeeper NV Ohja (0) in the fourth over with only one run on the board. Dholpure and Mishra then came together to add 67 runs for the second wicket off 25 overs. Mishra, easily the more aggressive of the two, slammed 55 of 82 balls with the help of nine fours and a six. Dholpure however continued to bat patiently before he was sixth out at 205 in the 68th over. Dholpure faced 199 balls and hit ten of them to the ropes. JS Saxena (33) and N Menon (31 not out) gave a helping hand in the middle order to keep the innings going. Saxena faced just 19 balls and hit two fours and two sixes in a breezy cameo. T Shah was the most successful bowler for Tripura finishing with four for 35 off 20.2 overs.