Sport - Cricket

Maharashtra gains first-innings lead

Nashik: Maharashtra’s top-order batsmen ensured that their side stayed in front against Andhra in the Ranji Trophy super league match at the old golf course ground here on Wednesday.

Though Rohan Bhosale added five runs in half an hour to his overnight 72, the in-form middle-order batsmen — Ameya Shrikande and Kedar Jadhav — occupied the crease for a little over three hours and scored half-centuries.

The third-wicket pair was not tempted to take risks with an 8-1 negative field, set by Andhra’s captain Gnaneswara Rao when seamer P. Vijayakumar was in action. Match Referee Sanjay Patil had expressed his displeasure, and cautioned the visiting side on Tuesday evening from pursuing such tactics.

A dour approach did not see Maharashtra advance much from 205 for one in the first hour and Andhra’s fielders too were not alert enough to latch on to the chances that came their way.

The change of wicketkeeper from V.M. Sai to L.N.P. Reddy did not help matters as the latter put down a simple chance of Bhosale. But after nearly five hours of watchful batting, Bhosale fended at a sharp rising delivery from Vijaykumar to a close-in fielder.

Shrikande (59) and Jadhav (63) helped Maharashtra achieve its primary goal of getting past Andhra’s 348. The 8-1 off-side field produced a wicket when Suresh removed Shrikande. The home team lost two more wickets before Ankit Bawne (44), in the company of the lower- order, took his team past Andhra’s total.

Playing for the first innings points resulted in the home team adding 188 runs. With three sessions remaining on the last day, it would be up to Andhra to set an inviting target for the home team. But Maharashtra would be more than happy to take three points to take its tally to four from two matches.

The scores: Andhra — 1st innings: 348

Maharashtra — 1st innings: H. Khadiwale c & b Kalyankrishna 103, R. Bhosale c Pradeep b Vijaykumar 77, A. Shrikande (run out) 59, K. Jadhav c G. Rao b Suresh 63, N. Paradkar b Watekar 6, A. Bawne c G. Rao b Suresh 44, R. Motwani c Sai b Suresh 5, A. Dole c Reddy b Watekar 7, D. Waghmare b Suresh 9, E. Haque c Pradeep b Vijaykumar 3, S. Fallah (not out) 0, Extras (lb-4, nb-2, w-11) 17, Total (in 146.5 overs) 393.

Fall of wickets: 1-158, 2-218, 3-281, 4-292, 5-337, 6-347, 7-360, 8-386, 9-391.

Andhra bowling: Kalyankrishna 26-5-67-1, Vijaykumar 40.5-7-92-2, Gnaneswara Rao 5-0-24-0, Raju 22-3-70-0, Suresh 30-8-75-4, Watekar 23-5-61-2.

Andhra — 2nd innings: H. Watekar (batting) 2, L.N.P. Reddy (batting) 0, Total (for no loss in one over) 2.

Maharashtra bowling: Fallah: 1-0-2-0.

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