Ranji Trophy: Vidarbha start title defense on commanding note

NAGPUR: Discipline has been the key word for Vidarbha on and off the field ever since Chandrakant Pandit took over Vidarbha reigns. Be it cricketing skills, fitness or diet, the Vidarbha team management makes sure their cricketers maintain the required standard.


Discipline was the buzz word for Vidarbha as they began their title defense at the scenic Devineni Venkata Ramana Praneetha Ground in Mulapadu on Monday. There were hardly any freebies for Andhra in good batting conditions. None of the Vidarbha pacers bowled with express pace but they got enough movement in the air and also got some deviation off the wicket.

Andhra batsmen, except for skipper Hanuma Vihari (83;155b;12x4;1x6), kept on falling into the trap and were bowled out for 211 in the first innings of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group 'A' match.

Like their bowlers, Vidarbha openers Faiz Fazal (11*;31b;1x4) and Sanjay Ramaswamy (14*;35b;3x4) showed same discipline to bat out 12 testing overs by Andhra pacers. At stumps, the defending champions were 26 without loss.

The wicket had something in it for the pacers but it was a decent track to bat on. Andhra batsmen needed to show patience but they kept on playing loose shots and succumbed to some tight bowling by Vidarbha, led by medium pacer Rajneesh Gurbani (18-4-72-3) and Aditya Sarvate (18-3-50-4). While the former picked up important wickets at the top, Sarvate wrapped up Andhra lower order.

Gurbani trapped opener CR Gnaneshwar early on with a big inswinger. In came, Vihari, who looked in golden touch from the outset. He hit two drives off Gurbani to get going. For a brief period, Vidarbha's decision to field looked bit surprising as skipper Faiz introduced left-arm spinner Sarvate in just 13th over.

Pacer Yash Thakur (17-4-44-2) was going through a good spell at the other end. His hard work paid off when opener Prashant Kumar chopped an incoming delivery, which also kept a bit low, on to the stumps. Vidarbha pacers troubled Andhra's other star batsman Ricky Bhui by constantly keeping the ball outside the off stump. Thakur then produced yet another beauty to get rid of Bhui, who was caught in two minds whether to play or leave the ball.

KS Bharath's (22) arrival brought some momentum to Andhra's innings. Soon, Vihari brought up his fifty. Their 67-run stand for the fourth wicket brought Andhra innings back on track. Bharath's adventure, however, cost Andhra dear and triggered their collapse.

Vidarbha bowlers choked runs, bowling tight lines. Bharath tried to go after Sarvate but only managed to hit straight to Lalit Yadav at mid-on. If that wasn't enough, another loose shot came from Vihari who chased a wide one from Gurbani after hitting him for two successive fours. Wadkar completed a brilliant diving catch.

SCOREBOARD

Andhra (1st Innings): CR Gnaneshwar lbw b Gurbani 8, DB Prasanth Kumar b Thakur 10, G Hanuma Vihari c Wadkar b Gurbani 83, Ricky Bhui c Wadkar b Thakur 9, KS Bharat c Yadav b Sarvate 22, K Karan Shinde c Wadkar b Gurbani 7, D Naren Reddy c Wadkar b Yadav 21, P Girinath Reddy lbw b Sarvate 22, Bandaru Ayyappa b Sarvate 22, Y Prithvi Raj c Sanjay b Sarvate, CV Stephen not out 1.

Extras: (b 1, lb 1, nb 2, w 2) 6.

Total: (All out, 74 Overs) 211.

Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-38, 3-59, 4-126, 5-139, 6-144, 7-178, 8-196, 9-196.

Bowling: Rajneesh Gurbani 18-4-72-3, Lalit Yadav 17-2-41-1, Yash Thakur 17-4-44-2, Aditya Sarvate 18-3-50-4, Akshay Wakhare 4-2-2-0.

Vidarbha (1st Innings): Faiz Fazal batting 11, Sanjay Ramaswamy batting 14.

Extras: (lb 1) 1.Total: (No loss, 12 Overs) 26.Bowling: Bandaru Ayyappa 4-1-7-0, CV Stephen 5-2-9-0, P Girinath Reddy 2-0-6-0, Y Prithvi Raj 1-0-3-0.