Ranji Trophy: Rayudu, Devdhar put Baroda in commanding position against UP

Kedar Jadhav (66) and opener Jaykishan Kolsawala (58) also struck half-centuries to put the hosts in a commanding position with an overall lead of 119 runs, after bundling out the visitors for a paltry 190 in their first innings yesterday.

At the close of play, Uttar Pradesh were 25 for no loss, still needing 94 runs to wipe out the first innings deficit. Resuming at their overnight score of 59 for one, Baroda were reduced to a sticky 113 for 4 after losing three wickets in the form of Murtuja Vahora (6), Kolsawala and Yusuf Pathan (15).

Medium pacers Bhuvnesh Tyagi and Sudeep Tyagi made good use of the windy condition in the morning session after unseasonal rain lashed the major parts of the city late last night.

At 113 for 4, Rayudu and Devdhar came together and stitched together an excellent 147-run partnership to take the hosts total to 260. Rayudu delighted the crowd when he hit two consecutive sixes off spinner Piyush Chawla over long on.

Rayudu missed the much-deserved hundred by just nine runs when he was caught by Eklavya Dwivedi off pacer R P Singh at mid on. Rayudu struck 12 fours and two sixes in his 130 balls stay at the crease. Soon after his departure, pacer Bhuvnesh Kumar dealt a severe blow to the hosts, claiming the prized wicket of Devdhar.

He struck eight fours in his 212 balls stay at the crease. Captain Pinal Shah (15) took the hosts score past 300-mark.

For Uttar Pradesh, Bhuvnesh Kumar was the pick of the bowlers, claiming four wickets for 61 runs followed by Praveen Gupta and Sudeep Tyagi (2 wickets each). In the second innings, the visitors started cautiously with openers Tanmay Srivastava (14) and Digvijay Singh (5) avoided taking any risk. The visitors were 25 without loss at stumps.

Brief scores: Uttar Pradesh 190 and 25/0 (Tanmay Srivastava 14)
Baroda: 1st innings: 309 all out (Ambati Rayudu 91, Kedar Jadhav 66, Bhuvnesh Kumar 4/61).