Saurashtra restrict AP to 215 for 9

Rajkot, Dec 9 (UNI) Saurashtra restricted Andhra Pradesh to 215 for nine in Super League Ranaji encounter on the opening day of the four-day match at the Madhavrao Scindia Ground here today.

Opener L N Prasad Reddy lifted Andhra Pradesh from distressing position (77/5) to a respectable total of 215.

At stumps, L N Prasad Reddy was unbeaten on 82 which contained 11 boundaries off 281 balls.

The visitors would have been in greater trouble had the hosts fielding been upto the mark. Couple of dropped catches and poor fielding by Saurashtra helped Andhra Pradesh to score 215/9 at the end of the day.

The visitors, after winning the toss opted to bat and wickets started tumbling at regular intervals right from the start to be reduced to 5 for 77 but opener L N Prasad steadied the ship and his sixth wicket partnership of 53 runs with Rv. Ch. Prasad (35).

Skipper Venugopal Rao, who had played a match saving game against Tamil Nadu, did not last long and fell to an outswinger of medium pacer Sandip Maniar when his individual score was four.

Chilly morning sessions helped medium Pacer Sandip Maniyar who scalped three wickets for 50 while his partner Sandip Jobanputra took one wicket for 56 runs.

Left Arm spinner Rakesh Dhruve accounted for two wickets for 30 runs.

Three batsmen -- M S K Prasad, Y Ganeswara Rao and A G Pradeep --- were run out to terrible misunderstandings which gave hosts an upper hand in the game. Andhra Pardesh failed to cash in against the promoted Saurashtra.

Brief Score : Andhra Pradesh 215 for 9 in 89.3 overs ( L N Prasad Reddy not out 82, M S K Prasad 16, B Samanth 21, RV. CH. Prasad 35, K S Shahabuddin 21, S Maniyar three for 50, S Jobanputra one for 56 and R Dhruve two for 30.

UNI AV SD SAM BD1948