SILCHAR, Dec 28 - Banking on a gritty knock of 77 runs off 111 balls by wicket-keeper batsman Abhishek Thakuri, Assam posted 198 runs in their first innings against Tamil Nadu at the ongoing Col. CK Nayudu U-23 Tournament. The visitors scored 43 runs losing four wickets at the end of second day�s play at SM Dev Stadium.�
With the first day being washed out due to rain and bad weather, the home team started the innings on a nervous note as the top order literally crumbled owing to some disciplined bowling from the Tamil Nadu bowlers. S Swaminathan displayed fine spell of bowling as he picked up six wickets for 69 runs. Abhishek Thakuri looked in good touch in his home ground as he began to anchor the innings with a crucial 39-run partnership with Raj Agarwal for the seventh wicket. Opener Shubham Mandal (22), Danish Ahmed (20) and Jitumoni Kalita (28) made useful contributions to the total.�
Tamil Nadu too is in a spot of bother in their first innings as the top order was shaken by the Assam bowlers picking wickets at regular intervals. Skipper S Radhakrishnan is not out on 18 runs along with Ajit Ram S batting on 3 runs.
Brief scores: Assam 1st Innings: 198 all out (Abhishek Thakuri 77, Jitumoni Kalita 28; S Swaminathan 6/69). Tamil Nadu 1st innings 43/4 (S Radhakrishnan 18, Aditya Barooah�18; Mrinmoy Dutta 2/17).�
