Watekar's century guides AP to 294 for 6

Amritsar, Nov 3 (UNI) Riding on a superb century by H Watekar(137), Andhra Pradesh piled up a total of 294 for the loss of six wickets on the first day of the Ranji Trophy Super League Group B match against Punjab at the Gandhi Sports Complex Ground here today.

Andhra Pradesh, who elected to bat after winning the toss, received a rude jolt early on, loosing three wickets for a paltry total of 19 runs.

A fourth wicket stand of 142 runs between Watekar and captain M S K Prasad(51) helped steady the Andhra innings after L N P Reddy(8), A S K Varma(6) and Y Ganeshwara Rao(1) were out cheaply.

Watekar played a superlative innings belting the Punjab bowlers for 13 boundaries and a six during his mammoth knock spanning almost six hours.

B Sumanth(35), M Faiq(23) and G Shankara Rao(21) got off to good starts but failed to build on them.

Gangandeep Singh was the most effective among the bowlers. He bowled a devastating opening spell, picking up three wickets leaving the visitors totering at 19 for three. Most of the Punjab bowlers were economical in their bowling, restricting the visitors to a modest total.

G Shankara Rao(21) and M Faiq(23) were still at the crease end of the day's play.

Scoreboard: Andhra Pradesh 1st innings: HH Watekar lbw b Goel 137 LNP Reddy lbw b Gagandeep Singh 8 ASK Varma c Dharmani b Gagandeep Singh 6 Y Gnaneswara Rao c Goel b Gagandeep Singh 1 MSK Prasad b Kakkar 51 B Sumanth c Goel b Amanpreet Singh 35 G Shankara Rao batting 21 M Faiq batting 23 Extras (b 1, lb 5, nb 6) 12 Total 294/6: 90 overs Fall of wickets: 1/9, 2/17, 3/19, 4/161, 5/244, 6-258 Bowling: Gagandeep Singh 17.4 6 28 3 M Gony 23 4 92 0 Amanpreet Singh 21 3 76 1 S Ladda 10 0 52 0 A Kakkar 17 6 34 1 K Goel 1.2 0 6 1 UNI