Hosts Assam were not too comfortably placed at 209 for six at the end of the opening day's play of their four-day encounter with strong contenders Baroda at the Nehru Stadim in Guwahati on Sunday.
Electing to bat on a placid Nehru stadium wicket, Assam kept losing wickets at regular intervals despite a solid knock of 66 from Parag Das.
The seasoned opener, without his regular partner Subhrajit Saikia, who had to miss the match because of bereavement, gauged the wicket well and played Baroda pacer and spinners at ease.
However, wickets began to tumble at the other end and credit should be given to paceman Rakesh Patel who toiled hard on a flat wicket to end with figures of 59 for three.
His first skull was new opener Parvez Aziz who was caught plumb leg before as he went back to negotiate an incoming delivery.
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However, Zakaria was unfortunately run out at 22 and since then Patel along with off spinner Yusuf Pathan took wickets at regular intervals to restrict the home team to 209 for six in their first innings.
Scoreboard:
Assam first innings:
Parag Das c Pawar b Yusuf Pathan 66
Parvez Aziz lbw Rakesh Patel 14
Zakaria Zufri run out 22
Vasant Sarvanan lbw Yusuf Pathan 06
R Satish c Mongia b Rakesh Patel 02
Chandan Raut b Rakesh Patel 05
S Ghosh not out 51
Sukhbinder Singh not out 19
Extras (lb-5, nb-19) 24
Total: (for six wkts in 81 overs) 209
Fall of wickets: 1/33, 2/105, 3/112, 4/119, 5/123, 6/122
Bowling: Rakesh Patel 19-2-59-3, S Joshi 21-4-63-0, Yusuf Pathan 27-12-40-2, Rajesh Pawar 14-4-42-0.