After its openers put on 127 runs, indiscreet shot selection cost Tamil Nadu dear as they ended the first day at 250 for 9 in 89.3 overs against Delhi in their last match of the Ranji Super League in Chennai on Tuesday.
Watched by Chairman of the National Selection Committee, Dilip Vengsarkar, the openers, Abhinav Mukund (51) and M Vijay (77) impressed with their batting and added 127 runs in 38.6 overs for the first wicket before Mukund lost his wicket.
With captain, Badrinath adjudged plumb before the wicket off medium pacer Chetanya Nanda for nine (2 fours), the hosts slumped to 157/4 in 51.3 overs.
Srinivasan and Sureshkumar showed signs of resurrecting their innings but the former chased a Bhatia delivery and was caught by wicket keeper Puneet Bisht. He made 23.
Mithun Manhas rotated his bowlers well and everytime he brought in changes it paid dividends.Narender Singh in his second spell dismissed wicket keeper batsman Gopinath for 13.
Sureshkumar was caught behind when he was 20 and Tamil Nadu were reeling at 219/7.
Medium pacers, Parvinder Awana and Pradeep Jaiver Sangwan claimed the wickets of Yeo Mahesh and R.Ramkukmar respectively to leave the hosts at 250/9.
When play was called off at the fall of Ramkumar's wicket (89.3 overs), C Suresh (3) was at the crease.
For Delhi, Puneet Bisht took four catches, while leg break bowler Chetanya Nanda claimed 3/65 and Rajat Bhatia, a former Tamil Nadu player, took 2/15.
Scorecard:
Tamil Nadu (1st innings):
A Mukund c Chopra b Nanda 51
M Vijay lbw b Bhatia 77
S Badrinath lbw b Nanda 9
K Sri Vasudevadas b Nanda 0
R Srinivasan c Bisht b Bhatia 23
Sureshkumar c Bisht b Awana 20
K Gopinath c Nanda b N Singh 13
R Ramkumar c Bisht b Sangwan 32
Yeo Mahesh c Bisht b Awana 8
C Suresh batting 3
Extra: (b-4, lb-5, nb-5) 14
Total: (for 9 wickets in 89.3 overs) 250
Fall of wickets: 1-127, 2-143, 3-143, 4-157, 5-173, 6-201, 7-219, 8-238, 9-250
Bowling: PJ Sangwan 19.3-8-39-2, P Awana 14-2-50-1, N Singh 21-4-72-1, R Bhatia 12-4-15-2, C Nanda 22-5-65-3, M Manhas 1-1-0-0