Andhra’s gamble of putting Hyderabad in to bat paid off with the pace bowlers striking at regular intervals to leave the latter in some trouble at 226 for seven at close of play on the first day of the four-day Ranji Trophy Group B match at Dr. P.V.G. Raju Sports Complex here on Sunday.
Young talent Thakur Tilak Varma, who replaced Rohit Rayudu for this match, failed to get going, perishing to the pace of Sasikanth in the fourth over of the morning.
Then, in-form opener Tanmay Agarwal and captain Akshath Reddy strung together a 61 runs before the former become a victim of left-arm pacer Prithvi Raj.
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Though Akshath and Sandeep put on a 72-run stand for the third wicket, the latter disappointed again after a confident start, playing all over an in-swinger from Girinath Reddy to be bowled.
In the next over, Akshath, who completed his third fifty (57, 136b, 9x4) of the season (besides two centuries), offered a tentative push off Sasikanth to be caught behind.
The pace attack was relentless in getting the breakthroughs on pitch which had good carry and bounce. After Akshath departed, the sixth-wicket pair of Himalay Agarwal and a hesitant, wicketkeeper-batsman K.S.K. Chaitanya (6, 43b) scored just one run in the next 10 overs.
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Later on, though, Himalay (59, 103b, 7x4, 2x6) meted out rough treatment to off-spinner Shoaib Mohammad Khan, hitting him three fours and two huge sixes. He too departed just before close of play to the second new ball when he walked into the trap on the leg-side.
After being hit for two fours on on-side, Sasikanth pitched one marginally short to lure a drive which went straight to the fielder at mid-on.
The scores:
Hyderabad — 1st innings: Tanmay Agarwal b Prithvi Raj 44, Thakur Tilak Varma b Sasikanth 5, Akshath Reddy c Bharat b Sasikanth 57, B. Sandeep b Girinath Reddy 33, Himalay Agarwal c Aiyyappa b Sasikanth 59, T. Ravi Teja c Hebbar b Prithvi Raj 1, K.S.K. Chaitanya b Girinath Reddy 6, Saaket Sai Ram (batting) 14; Extras (nb-4, w-3): 7; Total (for seven wkts. in 81.4 overs): 226.
Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-73, 3-145, 4-145, 5-146, 6-182, 7-226.
Andhra bowling: Ayyappa 17-2-56-0, Sasikanth 19.4-5-49-3, Prithvi Raj 22-9-54-2, Girinath 6-2-7-2, Shoaib Mohammad 16-1-52-0, Jyothisaikrishna 1-0-8-0.