Elite 'B' in driver's seat

Vinayak Mane and Ambati Rayudu scored fine half centuries to enable Elite 'B' take a vital 194-run first innings lead against Plate 'A' on the second day of the Duleep Trophy cricket match in Chennai on Friday.

Resuming at the overnight score of 87 for 2, Elite 'B' were all out for 329 in 104.5 overs with Mane top-scoring with 76 and Rayudu making 52. The two added 106 runs between them in 31.2 overs to help their side tighten its grip on the match by crossing the 300-mark.

At stumps on day two, Plate 'A, who had scored 135 in their fist innings, were 72 for two, with Roland Barrington and Rajiv Kumar batting on 35 and five respectively.

The two batsmen to be dismissed were opener Rajeev Jaiswal (0) and captain Hrishikesh Kanitkar (30).

Earlier, Mane hit six fours and a six during his knock while Rayudu's score contained six boundaries and three sixes.

After Mane's dismissal at 195, Elite 'B' lost captain Rohan Gavaskar at the same score. Though Arjun Yadav (12) and M S K Prasad (10) fell cheaply, Rajesh Powar (37) and Sairaj Bahutule (29) added 42 runs for the eighth wicket before Amit Uniyal chipped in with a quickfire 20.

For Plate 'A', off-spinner Hrishikesh Kanitkar took three wickets for 24 runs while Anantapadmanabhan scalped two.

Scoreboard

Plate 'A' (1st innings): 135

Elite 'B' (1st innings): Vinayak Mane c sub H Phadke b Kanitkar 76

Amit Phagnis c R Barrington b Faisal Shaik 55

Wasim Jaffer c Yashpal Singh b Sunil Joshi 15

A T Rayudu c Jaiswal b Anantapadmanabhan 52

Rohan Gavaskar c Tinu Yohanan b Kanitkar 0

Arjun Yadav c Thilak Naidu b T Yohanan 12

M S K Prasad lbw Sunil Joshi 10

Ramesh Pawar c & b Anatapadmanabhan 37

Sairaj Bahutule c Anantapadmanabhan b D Ganesh 29

Amit Uniyal c R Jaiswal b Kanitkar 20

Harvinder Singh not out 5

Extras (B9, LB7, NB2) 18

Total 329

Fall of wkts: 1-57, 2-163,, 3-195, 4-195, 5-213, 6-220, 7-240,8-282, 9-321, 10-329.

Bowling: Dodda Ganesh 11.5-3-37-1, Tinu Yohanan 18-6-30-1, Sunil Joshi 24-4-85-2, K N Anantapadmanabhan 22-3-69-2, Faizal Shaik 16-0-68-1, H Kanitkar 10-1-24-3.