New Delhi, Jan 2 (IANS) Haryana medium-pacer Harshal Patel ran through the Karnataka first-innings for 151 taking eight wickets while another fast bowler Mumbai’s Dhawal Kulkarni claimed a fifer against Madhya Pradesh on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals.
Patel, playing in his sixth first-class match, single-handedly put Haryana in the driver’s seat with his outstanding spell at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. In reply, Haryana were 120 for no loss with Nitin Saini and Rahul Dewan batting on 55 and 63, respectively.
At Indore, Madhya Pradesh fought back, after being bowled out for 192, by dismissing half the Mumbai side for 70.
Mumbai pacers Kulkarni (5/74) and Kshemal Waingankar (3/29) put the visitors in a seemingly strong position, but by the end of the day they were rocked by MP’s T.P. Sudhindra and Murtaza Ali taking two wickets each.
Defending champions Rajasthan recovered to make 220 for five against qualifiers from the Plate Division Hyderabad.
Former India opener Aakash Chopra batted through the day for his 82 and steadied the ship with Dishant Yagnik contributing 60 after Rajasthan lost half their side for 129. Left-arm spinner Lalith Mohan took two wickets.
At Chennai, Tamil Nadu halted Maharashtra’s first innings surge with a clutch of wickets to reduce the visitors to 196 for four on an extended first day’s play.
Maharashtra were off to a strong start as openers Harshad Khadiwale (61) and Chirag Khurana (44) put on 116, but Tamil Nadu struck to even out things by stumps.
Nikhil Paradkar (6) and Maharashtra’s leading run-getter this season Anik Bawne (19) did not last long and No.3 Sangram Atitkar (50 not out) held the innings together with a gritty effort.
Bawne’s dismissal after he had added 59 runs for the fourth wicket with Atitkar could prove crucial to Maharashtra’s hopes of putting up a sizeable first innings score, keeping in view the batting might of Tamil Nadu.
The match commenced 90 minutes late owing to a wet outfield following early morning rains and the day’s play was extended to make up the lost time before fading light stopped play with 84 of the 90 overs bowled.
Brief scores (quarterfinals):
Rajasthan 220/5 in 90 overs (Aakash Chopra batting 82, Dishant Yagnik batting 60; Lalith Mohan 2/63) vs. Hyderabad
Karnataka 151 in 49.5 overs (Robin Uthappa 35, Muralidharen Gautam 26; Harshal Patel 8/40) vs. Haryana 120/0 in 38 overs (Nitin Saini batting 55, Rahul Dewan batting 63)
Madhya Pradesh 192 in 55.1 overs (Udit Birla 63, Mohnish Mishra 33; Dhawal Kulkarni 5/74, Kshemal Waingankar 3-29, Balwinder Sandhu 2-74) vs. Mumbai 70/5 in 33 overs (Kaustubh Pawar batting 30; TP Sudhindra 2/14, Murtaza Ali 2/2)
Maharashtra 204/4 in 84 overs (Harshad Khadiwale 61, Sangram Dilp Atitkar batting 50; Aushik Srinivas 2/64) vs. Tamil Nadu
