WITH all the five bowlers used on Day One ticking the right column, Vidarbha have their nose slightly ahead in Ranji Trophy tournament opener against Services that began at Civil Lines ground on Friday. Asked to bat in overcast conditions after half an hour delay due to wet pitch, Services had starting trouble and were reduced to 35-4 in 16 overs. Skipper Rajat Paliwal (84; 124b, 14x4) and stumper Lovekesh Bansal (73; 195b, 10x4) revived the innings frustrating Vidarbha bowlers, who went wicketless in second session. In the extended third session that continued till 5.17 in the evening, Vidarbha not only saw the back of both the set batsmen but prised out two more wickets to end the day on a satisfying note. At end of the opening day of the their Elite Group A match, Services were 223-8 with the tail exposed. But for a couple of dropped catches, Vidarbha would have been in a much better position. With grass on a little damp wicket, the stage was well set for the seamers to go for the kill. But as the case mostly is when bowlers see green top, they bang in short. Aditya Thakare and India pacer Umesh Yadav were rewarded only when they pitched it up.

 

While Thakare drew first blood castling Ravi Chauhan (2, 23b) in the 8th over, Yadav disturbed other opener Shubham Rohilla’s (8; 35b, 1x4) timber with another inswinger. Yadav took his second having Anshul Gupta (21; 29b, 4x4) brilliantly caught by R Sanjay in the third slip. And when substitute Mohit Kale covered a distance to complete a catch in the deep to get rid of Vineet Dhankhar (1, 3b) off Darshan Nalkande, the visitors looked in dire straits. Then the Paliwal-Bansal partnership happened. Though tentative initially, both the batters mixed caution and aggression never letting an opportunity to punish the bad balls. Paliwal played some gorgeous off drives and cuts both against seamers as well as spinners to dominate the partnership. Having joined hands half an hour before lunch, the duo played out the entire second session without being separated.

 

After completing their respective fifties, Paliwal, who looked good for a hundred, nicked Thakare to be picked up inches above the ground by Karun Nair in the first slip. The alliance yielded 135 crucial runs for Services. In his fresh spell, Nalkande removed Pulkit Narang (14; 46b, 2x4). Vice-captain and left-arm orthodox bowler Aditya Sarvate joined the party having Bansal adjudged lbw in the fading light. A strong appeal on the next ball was turned down. Rush of blood saw Arjun Sharma (13; 24b, 1x4) throw his wicket as he went for a biggie against offie Akshay Wakhare. The wicket signalled end of the day. Having bowled eighty overs, the new ball is due and it should be a matter of few minutes for Vidarbha seamers to knock off the tail. The wicket has eased out as the day progressed and second day will be the best for batting. Onus will be on Vidarbha batters to make most of the situation.