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Determined century by Khadiwale

Special Correspondent

CRICKET / His wicket at the end of the day gives Tamil Nadu some hope

Maharashtra openers made capital of TN’s inconsistency with the new ball
The first session on Sunday would be crucial, says TN coach W.V. Raman

— Photo: R. Ragu

IN FULL FLOW: Maharashtra’s Harshad Khadiwale, who scored a century against Tamil Nadu, in the Ranji Trophy in Chennai on Saturday.

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu didn’t quite have the day it might have fancied in its season-opening Ranji Trophy super league match against Maharashtra, but a late wicket — that of centurion Harshad Khadiwale – ensured Saturday ended better than it began.

Maharashtra, thanks to Khadiwale’s determined 126 and an emphasis on batting in partnerships, ended on 261 for four in 86.4 overs. Off-spinner R. Ashwin took two wickets; K. Shri Vasudeva Das and V. Yomahesh split the other two.

Excellent work

The ground staff at the M.A. Chidamabaram Stadium did marvellously well to get it in playing condition after last week’s heavy rain; a similar urgency wasn’t evident in S. Badrinath’s men, for the over-rate was poor.

Venugopala Rao’s luck with the toss allowed Maharashtra, fielding six debutants to Tamil Nadu’s two, first strike on a strip that grew better for batting as the day wore on.

Openers Khadiwale and Vishant More made capital of Tamil Nadu’s inconsistency with the new ball. Almost identical in their stance and set-up, the two diminutive batsmen put on 68. A large part of the runs came behind square on the off-side — indicative of both the bowlers’ ill-chosen shortness in length and the pair’s skill in opening the bat face.

Ashwin strikes

Ashwin, the lone specialist spinner in the eleven after R. Ramprasad pulled out with a toothache, struck before lunch. The tall off-spinner was a threat every time he had the batsmen driving — More’s lofted stroke off such a delivery was taken at mid-off.

Kedar Jadhav then helped Khadiwale raise 74 for the second wicket before Vasudeva Das had him touching a brisk leg-break to the wicketkeeper. The wicket of Jadhav, at the stroke of tea, and that of Venugopala Rao, caught behind off Ashwin, allowed Tamil Nadu a toe in the door, but a robust innings from Yogesh Takawale helped Maharashtra score 106 in the final 26.3 overs.

The 19-year-old Khadiwale reached his maiden hundred by hitting Ashwin straight for four. He began to open out, driving against the turn through extra-cover before Yomahesh ended his 263-ball effort (12x4). “The way Khadi played today showed outstanding temperament,” said Maharashtra coach Chandrakant Pandit.

Yomahesh’s dismissal of Khadiwale — Prasanna taking a splendid low catch in the slips — was reward for a spirited comeback. He seemed to fall away in his delivery stride in the morning, spraying the ball down the leg-side, but returned strongly in the last session.

“We could have done better, certainly,” said the Tamil Nadu coach W.V. Raman, “but, the game is now at a pivotal stage, with that wicket at the end. The first session tomorrow (Sunday) is crucial, and much will depend on how we use the (second) new ball.”

The scores:

Maharashtra — 1st innings: H. Khadiwale c Prasanna b Yomahesh 126, V. More c Ganapathy b Ashwin 26, K. Jadhav c Karthik b Vasudeva Das 35, Venugopala Rao c Karthik b Ashwin 8, Y. Takawale (batting) 52; Extras (b-1, nb-8, w-5): 14; Total (for four wickets, in 86.4 overs): 261.

Fall of wickets: 1-68, 2-142, 3-155, 4-261.

Tamil Nadu bowling: Ganapathy 15-2-39-0, Yomahesh 18.4-4-59-1, Amarnath 12-2-39-0, Ashwin 26-3-81-2, Vasudeva Das 6-1-24-1, Badrinath 5-1-12-0, Prasanna 4-1-6-0.

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