Bengaluru/Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh), Sep 5: Although bowlers dominated the proceedings on Day 1 of the Duleep Trophy, Musheer Khan and Axar Patel excelled with the bat braving the odds.
This year, Duleep Trophy is being played in a new format with four teams India A, B, C and D locking horns. Earlier the tournament was played in the zonal basis.
There were two matches being played simultaneously. In the first game in Bengaluru on Thursday, put into bat India B were struggling at 202/7 against India A at stumps on Day 1.
In a game ruled by bowlers, 19-year-old Mumbai allrounder Musheer Khan stood tall with an unbeaten 105 in 227 balls. He hit 10 fours and two huge sixes in his fighting knock.
For India A, pacers trio of Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan and Akash Deep claimed a couple of wickets each. The other India B wicket (Washington Sunder) that fell on the day was a fine run out effort by Akash Deep.
In the other four-day red-ball match played in Ananatapur in Andhra Pradesh, asked to bat first India D were bundled out for 164 in 48.3 overs. Ace spin all-rounder Axar Patel however was the apparent lone warrior for India D with a confident 86.
In reply at stumps on the first day, India C were 91/4. Axar Patel and Harshit Rana claimed two wickets each for India D.
Brief Scores at Stumps on Day 1:
First Match in Bengaluru:
India B: 202/7 (79 overs)
Second Match in Anantapur:
India D: 164 (48.3 overs)
India C: 91/4 (33 overs)
Matches to Continue.
