Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 24: With his nagging line and teasing length, speedster K S Shahabuddin plotted collapse of crisis-hit Jammu and Kashmir team by scalping 5 important wickets to bundle out them for a paltry total of 153 runs in their first innings of 4-day Ranji trophy Group-C match at GGM Science College Hostel Ground, here today. In reply, Andhra were 118 for the loss of 4 wickets at stumps on day-1 today.
Earlier, put into bat by Andhra Pradesh skipper Pradeep, J&K openers Shubam Khajuria and Munish Dogra, though began with a positive note, hitting series of boundaries in first half an hour, yet lost their wickets in quick succession alongwith the wickets of skipper Ian Dev Singh and experienced Hardeep Singh to be reduced to 58 for 4 in 19.4 overs. Munish Dogra scored elegant 30 runs off 49 balls, with the help of 5 crispy boundaries, while Shubam Khajuria scored brisk 19 off 19 deliveries, studded with 3 fours. Then, middle-order batsman Rohit Bhat and ambidextrous cricketer Manik Gupta tried to consolidate the innings and took the score to 105 for the loss of 4 wickets before the lunch break.
However, Manik lost his wicket soon after the lunch by misjudging a single, which was followed by the wicket of Aditya Partap Singh, who fell cheaply. Rohit Bhat scored valuable 28 runs off 78 balls with the help of 3 boundaries, while Manik Gupta contributed well made 18 off 28 with the help of 4 boundaries. All-rounder Ram Dayal contributed magnificent 38 runs off 52 balls including 5 boundaries, while Anoop Mangotra chipped in 12 runs to the total. The whole team was bundled out for a paltry total of 153 runs in 50.5 overs. For Andhra, speedster Sahabuddin was the wrecker-in-chief, who captured 5 important wickets, conceding 53 runs in his 19 overs, while other paceman Vijay Kumar and left-arm spinner Rajesh Pawar scalped 2 wickets each.
In reply, Andhra Pradesh were struggling at 16/3 at tea today, with top three batsmen back into the pavilion, courtesy splendid bowling display by speedsters Ramdayal Punia and Sahil Sharma in their first spells.
Resuming from 13 for 3 after the tea, Andhra rode on a superb partnership of 104 runs between last match centurions Amol Majuamdar and B Sumanth to take the score to 112 runs, before latter was dismissed by wrist spinner Manik Gupta at his individual score of 41 runs. The batsmen back into the pavilion were openers DB Prasanth Kumar (00), T Atchuta Rao (4), Vamsi Krishna (00) and B Sumanth (41). Mujamdar was unbeaten on 60 runs, studded with 9 boundaries and AG Pradeep on 4 at the draw of stumps today.
The match was officiated by Rajiv Risodkar (MPCA) and Abhuit Deshmukh (VCA) as umpires, while Ashwani Kumar (J&K) and Ajay Chopra (HPCA) were the scorers. Nishanta Bardoloi (Assam) is the match referee.