Raj’s 7-wicket strike helps Services skittle out J&K for 85

JAMMU: Services medium-pacer Raushan Raj bagged a seven-wicket haul to help skittle out a hapless Jammu and Kashmir for 85 on Day 1 of the Group C Ranji Trophy cricket match here today.
In reply to J&K’s first innings score, the visitors were 152 for four at stumps with Yashpal Singh (47 not out) and Sufiyan Alam (9 not out) at the crease.
Put into bat at the Gandhi Memorial Science College Ground, J&K lost their opener Adil Reshi (8) in the fifth over and soon the innings fell like a pack of cards.
If Raj was the destroyer-in-chief then he was able backed by pace spearhead Diwesh Pathania, who bagged three wickets.
For J&K opener Shubham Khajuria (24) and skipper Parvez Rasool (24 not out) not only remained top-scorers but the only two batsmen to get into double figures in an innings which saw two ducks.
The Soumik Chatterjee-led Serviced lead by 67 runs with Rajat Paliwal top-scoring with 70 runs so far.
Medium-pacer Umar Nazir bagged two wickets while Ram Dayal and Rohit Sharma picked up a wicket each.
Brief Scores:
Jammu and Kashmir 85 all out in 43 overs (Shubham Khajuria 24, Parvez Rasool 24 not out; Diwesh Pathani 3-37, Raushan Raj 7-38)
Services 152/4 in 39 overs (Rajat Paliwal 70, Yashpal Singh 47 not out; Umar Nazir 2-38). (AGENCIES)