Deshmukh, Manjrekar help reduce Khandu Rangnekar XI to 173-9

Mumbai, Oct 8 (UNI) Vijay Merchant XI made the most of the opportunity to bat first at the 22nd Sportstar Trophy U-19 MCA Selection Tournament first round, putting on 284 against Vijay Manjrekar XI at the Elf Vengsarkar Academy ground here today.

Openers Swapnil Salvi (42, six fours) and Travel Dabre (34, five fours) put on 78 for the first wicket, then they lost three quick wickets before captain Sushant Khaire (62, one six and eight fours) guided the middle-order. Siddhesh Kinlekar (47) and Rehmani Sufiyan (37) chipped in with useful runs, while off-spinners Akshay Jambekar (3-77) and Pankaj Jaiswal (3-42) shared the spoils. The matches are being played over four days as per Cooch Behar Trophy.

Dattu Phadkar XI's new ball bowler Shivraj Deshmukh (4-55) and left-arm spinner Pratik Manjrekar (3-43) reduced Khandu Rangnekar XI to 173-9 at the Karnataka ground, Cross Maidan. A 61-run stand for the eighth wicket between Gaurav Jathar (46 not out) and Mangesh Vaity (37) lifted Rangnekar from 71-7 to relative safety.

Brief scores: Vijay Merchant XI 284 (Swapnil Salvi 42, Travel Dabre 34, Sushant Khaire 62, Rehmani Sufiyan 37, Siddhesh Kinlekar 47; Akshay Jambekar 3-77, Pankaj Jaiswal 3-42, Faisal Balwa 2-23) vs Vijay Manjrekar XI 18-1 at Elf Vengsarkar Academy.

Khandu Rangnekar XI 173-9 (Karan Kulkarni 29, Gaurav Jathar 46 no, Mangesh Vaity 37; Shivraj Deshmukh 4-55, Pratik Manjrekar 3-43) vs Dattu Phadkar XI at Karnataka ground, Cross Maidan.

UNI