GUWAHATI, Oct 1 - Left- arm spinner Syed Mohammad made the Karnataka batsmen danced on his tune as the visitors were all out for 187 in 75.2 overs in the first innings against host Assam in their season opening Group A Ranji Trophy match.
On a turning track at the Assam Cricket Association�s Barsapara stadium here today, Syed came out with a rich haul of career best 7 for 44. His previous best was 7/50.
In reply, Assam were 21 for one at stumps on the opening day of the four-day encounter. Pallav Das and Gokul Sharma were at the crease with 15 and two respectively.
Karnataka skipper R Vinay Kumar opted to bat first, perhaps considering the dryness of the wicket. But his reading proved wrong as the wicket took vicious turn from the very first session and tricky Syed took full advantage of it.
Assam captain Gokul Sharma brought Syed in at the pavilion end in the 16th over and it proved deadly as he took three wickets for just 10 runs in his first spell of nine overs.
He came to bowl his second spell in the 35th over which was also equally fruitful when he removed three scalps in six overs giving away 20 runs.
After the tea break he took the last wicket of the Karnataka first innings.
For the visiting team lefty Shishir Bhavane was the top scorer with 65. He stayed at the crease for 187 minutes and took 143 deliveries for his courageous knock. Apart from Shishir, opener Mayank Agarwal had been able to counter the Assam bowlers a little who added useful 36 off 82 balls. Both Shishir and Mayank hit six boundaries each.
The Karnataka batsmen hardly could build up valuable partnership as the eighth wicket partnership of 47 runs between Bhavane and Jagadeesha Susith was the highest.
Tomorrow Assam batsmen have to be cautious in the morning session as seasoned medium pacers Vinay Kumar and Abhimanyu Mithun, who have international experience, may give a tough time to the Assam batsmen with the help of morning moistures. The visiting team also has some quality spinners in Bhavane, S Gopal and K Nair.
SCORECARD
Karnataka 1st innings: R Samarth lbw b Krishna Das 5, MA Agarwal c & b Syed Mohammad 36, Robin Uthappa lbw b Syed Mohammad 11, CM Gautam c Krishna Das b Syed Mohammad 0, KK Nair c Arun Karthik b Syed Mohammad 14, SA Bhavane b Amit Verma 65 187 143 6, S Gopal c Tarjinder Singh b Syed Mohammad 9, R Vinay Kumar lbw b Syed Mohammad 2, J Suchith c Arun Karthik b Amit Verma 14, A Mithun c Amit Verma b Syed Mohammad 19, HS Sharath not out 0. Extras: (b 1, lb 5, w 1, pen 5) 12; Total: (all out in 75.2 overs) 187. Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-35, 3-35, 4-69, 5-80, 6-96, 7-104, 8-151, 9-187, 10-187. Bowling: Arup Das 11-5-18-0, Krishna Das 14-4-22-1, Abu Nechim Ahmed 5-1-19-0, J Syed Mohammad 18.2-2-44-7, Pallav Das 2-0-21-0, Sarupam Purkayastha 15-2-28-0, Gokul Sharma 4-1-8-0, Amit Verma 6-2-16-2.
Assam 1st innings: Pallav Das batting 15, Sarupam Purkayastha b Vinay Kumar 3, Gokul Sharma batting 2. To bat: Amit Verma, AK Das, K Das, AN Ahmed, KB Arun Karthik (WK), SA Roy, J Syed Mohammad, Tarjinder Singh. Extras: (b 1) 1; Total: (1 wicket in 12 overs) 21. Fall of wickets: 1-9. Bowling: R Vinay Kumar 5-2-4-1, A Mithun 4-2-6-0, S Gopal 2-0-10-0, HS Sharath 1-1-0-0.
