STATE TIMES NEWS
PONDICHERRY: With an extraordinary bowling display, the left-arm spin bowling duo of debutant Vanshaj Sharma and Abid Mushtaq kept the hopes of Jammu and Kashmir alive after the visitors bundled out for paltry total of 106 runs in the first innings against Pondicherry at Siechem Cricket Stadium, Pondicherry on Friday.
Earlier, winning the toss and electing to bat first, J&K batters fell like nine pins and the whole team collapsed at a meagre total of 106 runs. Fazil Rashid (27), Shubham Singh Pundir (21) and skipper Shubham Khajuria (15) were the main contributors, while Abdul Samad also chipped in with 10 runs.
Sidak Singh was the pick of the bowlers for Pondicherry, who captured 5 wickets by conceding 39 runs in 13.4 overs, while Sagar P Udeshi bagged 3 wickets and Rohit D claimed 2 wickets.
In reply, Pondicherry rode on a magnificent fifty by the experienced campaigner Paras Dogra and KB Arun Karthick and scored 172 runs, thus gaining a vital first innings lead of 66 runs. Paras scored 58 off 107 balls studded with 3 boundaries, while Karthick contributed 50 off 50 balls with 5 fours. Akash Kargave and Mohit Mittan contributed 19 and 18 runs to the total respectively.
For J&K, Abid Mushtaq and Vanshaj Sharma spun web around the rival bowlers to take 5 wickets each. Abid took 5 wickets by conceding 64 runs in his 25 overs, while Vanshaj captured 5 wickets by giving away 74 runs in 21.1 overs.
J&K were 0/1 at stumps on day-1 today.
Shubham Khajuria was at the crease on (00), while make-shift opening batter, rather a nightwatchman, Umran Malik (00) was dismissed on the very first ball of the innings.
For Pondicherry, Sagar P Udeshi took the lone wicket to fall.