Helped by some accurate bowling, Saurashtra tightend the screws on Rajasthan by reducing them to 155 for six at close on second day of their Ranji Trophy Super League match at the K L Saini Stadium in Jaipur on Saturday.
Saurashtra resumed the day at their overnight score of 220 for five, and despite a good spell by Pankaj Singh they posted 307, thanks to a fine 71 by J N Shah and a useful 46 by RN Dhruv.
Pankaj finished with 4 for 91, while skipper Mohd Aslam scalped 3 for 54.
Afroj Khan (2 for 33) and Nishan Singh (68 for 1) were the other wicket-takers.
Rajasthan, who lost the first two games of the season due to inept batting, were no different in this match. Wicketkeeper Rohit Jhalani survived 13 balls for his eight runs. Veteran Gagan Khoda (44), Nikhil Doru (29), Vineet Saxena (26) and Robin Bisht were all guilty of throwing their wickets away after getting set.
Afroj Khan (4) and Shamsher Singh were at the crease when stumps were drawn.
For the visitors S P Joban Putra (2 for 40) and (R V Dhruv 2 for 13) were the pick of bowlers.
Scorecard
Saurashtra (1st innings):
S Jogiyani c Bisht b Nishan 21
K Vaghela c Doru b Pankaj 5
S Kotak c Jhalani b Aslam 58
C Pujara c Aslam b Afroj 32
P Mehta lbw b Afroj 4
J Shah c Jhalani b Pankaj 71
R Jadeja lbw b Pankaj 18
R Dhruv n.o. 46
K Makwana lbw b Aslam 13
S Jobanputra lbw b Aslam 6
S Maniar c Bisht b Pankaj 5
Extras: (B-7, LB-6, W-3, NB-12) 28
Total: (in 120.4 overs) 307
Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-49, 3-109, 4-120, 5-158, 6-227, 7-247, 8-275, 9-288, 10-307.
Bowling: P Singh 29.4-4-91-4, N Singh 32-8-68-1, A Khan 18-4-33-2, R Bishnoi 2-0-8-0, Md Aslam 27-11-54-3, S Singh 12-2-40-0.
Rajasthan (1st innings):
R Jhalani c Jogiyani b Maniar 8
G Khoda lbw b Dhurv 44
N Doru run out (Makvana) 29
V Saxena b Jobanputra 26
R Bist b Dhurv 21
R Bishnoi b Jobanputra 5
A Khan not out 4
S Singh (2) not out 2
Extras: (b 8, lb 2, w 4, nb 2) 16
Total: (6 wickets; 55 overs) 155 (2.81 runs per over)
To bat: M Aslam, Nishan Singh, Pankaj Singh
Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-92, 3-92, 4-140, 5-144, 6-149.
Bowling: S Jobanputra 15-4-40-2, S Maniar 13-3-30-1, K Vaghela 4-1-10-0, R Dhurv 13-3-35-2, R Jadeja 8-2-20-0, K Makvana 2-0-10-0
