A five-over spell by Vidwath Kaverappa on Monday morning left Saurashtra a bit roughed up like a gust of wind would an umbrella, at the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) stadium here.
Saurashtra was bruised as it lost its openers in his first two overs. The 24-year-old started his first over with a no-ball and ended with a wicket as Harvik Desai edged one, that straightened a bit, to second slip.
In his second over, he got Chirag Jani to nick an angled-in delivery to the ’keeper. In both the dismissals, the batters closed the face of the bat.
But, Saurashtra had a sound reason to remain assured as its all-weather man Cheteshwar Pujara walked in at No. 4.
That no-ball was just about the only mistake Kaverappa would make. He bowled all his deliveries on just about the same line around the off-stump and at the same length. His new-ball partner Navdeep Saini, however, wasn’t as disciplined in comparison.
Exciting battle
So, Kaverappa versus Pujara was exciting. One trying to draw the other to make a mistake and the other trying to remain withdrawn.
As there had been unpredictable turn and bounce and the spinners had done well on day one, the Rest of India tweakers too were expected to be effective, and they were.
Just before lunch, off-spinner Pulkit Narang had Pujara caught at short-leg. Left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar had Sheldon Jackson leg-before and Samarth Vyas caught at gully in the second session.
Another left-arm spinner Shams Mulani took two in the third. In between, Kaverappa returned and trapped Prerak Mankad in front.
Only Arpit Vasavada dug in with a half-century (54, 127b, 2x4) for Saurashtra. He was the penultimate wicket to fall, caught by Sarfaraz Khan off Saurabh.
The scores:
Rest of India — 1st innings: Sai Sudharsan c Mankad b Parth 72, Mayank Agarwal c Mankad b Dharmendrasinh 32, Hanuma Vihari c Vyas b Parth 33, Sarfaraz Khan c Harvik b Dharmendrasinh 17, Yash Dhull c Jackson b Parth 10, K.S. Bharat c Jani b Parth 36, Shams Mulani lbw b Dodiya 32, Saurabh Kumar st Harvik b Parth 39, Pulkit Narang c Vyas b Dodiya 12, Navdeep Saini lbw b Dharmendrasinh 9, Vidwath Kaverappa (not out) 0; Extras (b-6, lb-6, nb-4): 16; Total (in 94.2 overs): 308.
Fall of wickets: 1-69, 2-138, 3-161, 4-179, 5-183, 6-242, 7-248, 8-286, 9-308.
Saurashtra bowling: Unadkat 10-2-18-0, Jani 4-1-10-0, Dharmendrasinh 29-4-90-3, Mankad 2-0-10-0, Dodiya 20-2-74-2, Parth 29.2-2-94-5.
Saurashtra — 1st innings: Harvik Desai c Sarfaraz b Kaverappa 0, Chirag Jani c Bharat b Kaverappa 2, Samarth Vyas c Sarfaraz b Saurabh 29, Cheteshwar Pujara c Dhull b Narang 29, Sheldon Jackson lbw b Saurabh 13, Arpit Vasavada c Sarfaraz b Saurabh 54, Prerak Mankad lbw b Kaverappa 29, Parth Bhut c Bharat b Mulani 20, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja lbw b Mulani 11, Jaydev Unadkat (batting) 17, Yuvrajsinh Dodiya (batting) 0; Extras (lb-4, nb-3, w-1): 8; Total (for nine wkts. in 80 overs): 212.
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-4, 3-51, 4-64, 5-77, 6-124, 7-178, 8-193, 9-205.
Rest of India bowling: Kaverappa 9-0-28-3, Saini 4-0-14-0, Saurabh 25-5-64-3, Mulani 21-2-46-2, Narang 21-3-56-1.
