Nagpur, March 3
Assam dominated Vidarbha bowlers and scored 289 losing six wickets on the first day of the Group 'G' Ranji Trophy match at Chaudhary Bansi Lal Cricket Stadium, Lahli in Haryana on Thursday.
Assam's innings was basically revolved around middle-order batsman Sarupan Purkayastha who slammed 113 in 175 balls with the help of 12 boundaries and three sixes.
Earlier playing with three pacers won the toss and elected to field first.
Vidarbha got an early breakthrough when Rajneesh Gurbani playing first match of the season sent opener Shubham Mandal to the pavilion on duck in the very first over.
However, then Rishav Das (44, 132,b. 6x4) and young Riyan Parag (48, 39b, 5x4, 3x6) brilliantly faced Vidarbha bowlers in the crucial first hour. Once settled they sent the bowlers on leather hunt. Particularly Parag was very aggressive in his approach. Particularly he punished Gurbani by hitting two sixes and two fours to him.
They made 74 run partnership for second wicket. When Parag was two-run short of half century, pacer Lalit Yadav dismissed him. Assam lost third wicket in the form ofr Gokul Sharma who was cleaned bowled by Aditya Ssarvate with 107 runs on board.
After losing three wickets, Purkayastha and Rishav Das rebuild Assam innings. In the process Das showed a lot of patience and gave good company to his batting partner from other ends. Frustrating the Vidarbha bowlers they made 109 run partnership for fourth wicket. Purkayastha also completed his century. Finaally Gurbani got the prized scalp when Apoorv Wankhede caught the centurion with 216 runs on board. Soon Rishav Das also gone thanks to Aditya Thakare. Denbish Das contributed 35 before becoming the victim of Sarvate. At stumps Kunal Saikia was playing on 26 in the company of Mukhtar Hussain who was yet to open his account. For Vidarbha Aditya Sarvate got three wickets for 64 runs while Gurbani was chipped in with two for 70.
Brief score
Assam 1st innings (Surpam Purkayastha 113, Riyan Parag 48, Rishav Das 44, Denish Das 35, Kunal Saikia batting 26, Aditya Sarvate 3 for 64, Rajneesh Gurbani 2 for 70, Lalit Yadav 1 for 56).