* KSCA XI struggle against ONGC

On a rain affected day, Karnataka State Cricket Association XI lost wickets at regular intervals and were 187 for seven off 41.3 overs at close on the first day of their Coromandel Cement Cup quarterfinal against Oil & Natural Gas Corporation at the Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar Sports Complex in Bangalore on Sunday.

Winning the toss, KSCA were off to a poor start with Rowland Barrington being out for a duck to the first ball he faced. Mithun Beerala (38) and Deepak Chougule (29) steadied the innings with a second wicket partnership of 69 runs off 13.3 overs. Then after four wickets had gone down for 99 runs, two former India players Vijay Bhardwaj (25) and Sunil Joshi (28) added 50 runs for the fifth wicket off 12.2 overs. But then both left in successive overs and wicketkeeper RC Shanbal (3) also left soon as KSCA slipped to 155 for seven. Skipper Anil Kumble (4) and David Johnson (28) however shared an unbroken eighth wicket stand of 32 runs off just four overs. Johnson played a bright little innings, facing only 17 balls and hitting four fours and a six. Among the bowlers, Sharandeep Singh (3 for 58) and skipper Shamshad (2 for 39) did the most to restrict the KSCA score.

The match started only at 12.20 due to the wet conditions of the ground caused by overnight rain. Play was stopped due to rain at 3.40 and finally called off for the day at 4.30.

* Yalvigi keeps KSCA Colts in check

Off spinner Anand Yalvigi turned in a fine performance at the RSI ground in Bangalore on Sunday. Playing for Roofit XI, Mumbai, he took four wickets for 38 runs off 20 overs to help restrict KSCA Colts to 200 for eight in 71.4 overs on a rain affected first day's play in the Coromandel Cement Cup quarterfinal.

Winning the toss, KSCA Colts started badly losing KS Ponnappa (5) at 13. Wicketkeeper and opening batsman BMV Uthappa (69) and KM Aiyappa (35) shared a second wicket partnership of 91 runs off 22.4 overs to set the innings back on track. Uthappa faced 123 balls and hit eight fours. He was third out at 125 in the 35th over. Yalvigi dismissed both the batsmen and then struck again in the middle order. Wickets fell at regular intervals but AR Mahesh stood firm and at close was batting with a watchful 32 off 101 balls with four hits to the ropes. K Adhav gave good support to Yalvigi by capturing two wickets for 49 runs.

The match started at 10 due to the dampness of the pitch. Rain interrupted play at 3.50 and play was finally called off for the day at 4.30.

* Mishra, Goud prop up BPL Sports Club

Valuable contributions by opening batsman Adithya Mishra and skipper Yere Goud saw BPL Sports Club score 176 for five off 54.5 overs on the first day of their Coromandel Cement Cup quarterfinal against Chemplast at the Central college grounds in Bangalore on Sunday.

Winning the toss, BPL Sports Club were given a good start with openers Adithya Mishra (68) and Mohit Goyal (6) putting on 72 runs off 14.3 overs. As the scores indicate, Mishra dominated the partnership. He faced only 52 balls and hit eleven fours and two sixes and was first out. Goyal who struggled for two hours and 77 balls was second out at 99 in the 30th over. K Sriram (0) fell in the next over. But Goud, who came in at No 3 and N Mulki (25) added 48 runs for the fourth wicket off 18 overs. KN Ramesh (12) was fifth out at 173 but Goud carried on till close of play. The veteran right hander batted for 157 minutes, faced 109 balls and hit eight fours. Ramkumar was the pick of the Chemplast bowlers picking up four wickets for 50 runs off 21.5 overs.

The match started at 10 due to wet conditions caused by overnight rain Play was halted by rain at 3.45 and was called off for the day at 4.25.

* Vinay Kumar, Yadav in 154-run partnership

Put in to bat, Hyderabad Cricket Association did well in getting 303 for nine wickets in the allotted 90 overs on the first day of their Coromandel Cement Cup quarterfinal against India Pistons at the Gangothri Glades ground in Mysore on Sunday.

Openers Daniel Manohar (29) and skipper A Nand Kishore (67) gave HCA a good start putting on 65 runs off 32.4 overs. Anirudh Singh (4) did not last long but then Nand Kishore and Vinay Kumar added 37 runs for the third wicket. Nand Kishore was then out, after batting 223 minutes, facing 129 balls and hitting three fours and six. HCA really consolidated through a fourth wicket partnership of 154 runs off 28.3 overs between Vinay Kumar and AS Yadav. The latter dominated hitting 87 from 89 balls with the help of nine fours and a six. Medium pacer Tinu Yohannan who bowled Yadav then got among the wickets and HCA slid from 271 for three in 82 overs to their final total. In the process they lost six wickets for 29 runs off 6.3 overs. Yohannan picked up five of the wickets and finished with five for 42 off 17 overs. Vinay Kumar however remained unbeaten with 81. He batted 198 minutes, faced 153 balls and hit the ball to the ropes four times.

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