Sport - Cricket

Modi cracks double century

AHMEDABAD: Nilesh Modi cracked his second Ranji Trophy double century as Gujarat continued to pile on the agony on Hyderabad. The host declared its first innings at 520 for nine and then reduced the visitor to 33 for one at close on the second day of their four-day Ranji Trophy Elite Group league match at the Sardar Patel Stadium (Motera) here on Monday.

The 36-year-old Modi, playing in his 17th season, demonstrated the importance of circumspection and stroke selection on a pitch which continued to be of little help to bowlers.

He was a picture of confidence during his unbeaten 250 (440b, 18x4) even as the Hyderabad fielding did not show the desired improvement on the second day. Modi had a stroke of luck when on 204, with substitute Akshath Reddy failing to latch on to a difficult chance at short mid-wicket off slow bowler Tirumalshetty Suman. For Hyderabad, it was the part-timers — Ahmed Quadri and Suman — who looked better than the regular bowlers. S.M. Shoaib struck the first blow of the day, cleaning up southpaw Niraj Patel (76, 181b, 4x4). Patel and Modi had put on 162 runs for the second wicket.

The scores: Gujarat — 1st innings: P. Panchal c Teja b A. Quadri 48, N. Modi (not out) 250, Niraj Patel b S.M. Shoaib 76, P. Patel c Pai b A. Quadri 33, B. Thakkar c A. Kumar b S.M. Shoaib 9, S. Patel c A. Yadav b L. Mohan 22, T. Patel b T. Suman 22, A. Makada b T. Suman 11, M. Parmar b S.M. Shoaib 34, Amit Singh st A. Kumar b T. Suman 0, S. Trivedi (not out) 1; Extras: (b-3, lb-6, nb-5) 14; Total: (for nine wkts declared in 163.1 overs) 520.

Fall of wickets: 1-108, 2-270, 3-325, 4-351, 5-394, 6-440, 7-456, 8-511, 9-512.

Hyderabad bowling: Shoaib 30-7-72-3, Arjun 22-5-66-0, Ashwin 23-3-69-0, Mohan 33-5-111-1, Quadri 35-1-120-2, Teja 4-1-10-0, Suman 16.1-2-63-3.

Hyderabad — 1st innings: T. Suman (batting) 9, D.B. Ravi Teja lbw b A. Makada 8, D. Rushi Raj (batting) 5; Extras: (b-5, lb-5, nb-1) 11; Total: (for one wkt in 10 overs) 33.

Fall of wicket: 1-16

Gujarat bowling: Trivedi 5-2-10-0, Makada 4-1-10-1, Parmar 1-0-2-0, Amit Singh 0.2-0-1-0.

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