<p>The Jammu & Kashmir batsman had been picked up for questioning by the local police on Saturday afternoon following a scare that, as is now being touted, was triggered by a faulty explosive-detecting device, and everyone was curious to see how the young man would square up on the field of play.<br /><br />In a wonderful display not just of his cricketing skills but also of mental toughness and resolve, the 21-year-old right-hander made a pleasing half-century on day one of his team’s four-day match against Karnataka in the Col CK Nayudu Trophy.<br /><br />After Ram Dayal won the toss and opted to bat, the eager wait for Rasool’s arrival at the crease lasted less than an hour and a half and was well worth it as he played the lead role in his team’s first-innings total of 286.<br /><br />That effort will be viewed as a disappointment of sorts, given that the team from the north had moved into a position of strength at 146 for two in 38 overs at the luncheon adjournment before being undermined by the left-arm spin of Abrar Kazi (5/63).<br /><br />Rasool (68, 112m, 86b, 8x4, 1x6) was involved in the highest partnership of the day, 86 (86m, 140b) for the third wicket with a defensive-minded Sandeep Singh (35, 148m, 111b, 3x4) as J&K recovered from the second-over dismissal of Dheeraj Sharma to threaten a big total. <br /><br />After Sandeep was dismissed by the pace of A Mithun, left-arm spinner KP Appanna provided the decisive breakthrough, having Rasool caught by Kazi. <br /><br />While that didn’t exactly open the floodgates, J&K floundered to string together stands of any substance, Kazi picking up five of the last six wickets to fall.<br /><br />Brief scores: Jammu & Kashmir: 286 all out in 92.5 overs (Adil Reshi 39, Sandeep Singh 35, Parvez Rasool 68, Nadeem Dar 42, Manik Gupta 40 n.o.; A Mithun 3-53, KP Appanna 2-50, Abrar Kazi 5-63) vs Karnataka.</p>
<p>The Jammu & Kashmir batsman had been picked up for questioning by the local police on Saturday afternoon following a scare that, as is now being touted, was triggered by a faulty explosive-detecting device, and everyone was curious to see how the young man would square up on the field of play.<br /><br />In a wonderful display not just of his cricketing skills but also of mental toughness and resolve, the 21-year-old right-hander made a pleasing half-century on day one of his team’s four-day match against Karnataka in the Col CK Nayudu Trophy.<br /><br />After Ram Dayal won the toss and opted to bat, the eager wait for Rasool’s arrival at the crease lasted less than an hour and a half and was well worth it as he played the lead role in his team’s first-innings total of 286.<br /><br />That effort will be viewed as a disappointment of sorts, given that the team from the north had moved into a position of strength at 146 for two in 38 overs at the luncheon adjournment before being undermined by the left-arm spin of Abrar Kazi (5/63).<br /><br />Rasool (68, 112m, 86b, 8x4, 1x6) was involved in the highest partnership of the day, 86 (86m, 140b) for the third wicket with a defensive-minded Sandeep Singh (35, 148m, 111b, 3x4) as J&K recovered from the second-over dismissal of Dheeraj Sharma to threaten a big total. <br /><br />After Sandeep was dismissed by the pace of A Mithun, left-arm spinner KP Appanna provided the decisive breakthrough, having Rasool caught by Kazi. <br /><br />While that didn’t exactly open the floodgates, J&K floundered to string together stands of any substance, Kazi picking up five of the last six wickets to fall.<br /><br />Brief scores: Jammu & Kashmir: 286 all out in 92.5 overs (Adil Reshi 39, Sandeep Singh 35, Parvez Rasool 68, Nadeem Dar 42, Manik Gupta 40 n.o.; A Mithun 3-53, KP Appanna 2-50, Abrar Kazi 5-63) vs Karnataka.</p>
