The MRF Buchi Babu All India Invitation Tournament witnessed a fine performance from Pankaj Dharmani in the opening clash between Tamil Nadu Cricket Association Districts XI and All India Associate Banks (AIAB) XI at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday. On winning the toss, Karnataka's B Akhil decided that his team, AIAB XI, would bat. However, it all went wrong for the AIAB team when they were set back at 27/4 by the Districts XI opening bowlers. Twenty-seven year old Punjab keeper batsman Dharmani changed the course of the game with a face saving 141 as AIAB ended the day on 283/8 off 95 overs.

Dharmani, who has turned out for India, boasts a first class average of over 50 and has a triple century to his name. Clearly a class act in domestic circles, Dharmani took to the Districts bowling and played a hand that all present at the ground will remember for a while to come. Picking off the bowling for 21 boundaries and two sixes, Dharmani stayed at the wicket for just over five hours, facing 211 balls in the process. Involved in a mammoth 180-run stand for the fifth wicket with Sanjay Mohan, Dharmani turned the game around on its head. The fact that Sanjay Mohan contributed just 46 (234 mins, 149 balls, 6 fours) in that stand is proof of Dharmani's dominance.

Finally, it was mediumpacer G Vignesh who put an end to Dharmani's run, having him caught behind with the AIAB score on 230. As many as 203 runs were added while Dharmani was at the wicket. The AIAB tail too wagged, putting on another 53 runs, and the side finished with a score that never looked on the cards when four wickets were lost for less than 30 runs. G Vignesh (3/48) and KS Veeranan (2/40) were the most successful bowlers.

Khirid plays the sheet anchor role for Maharashtra

Ranjit Khirid played the sheet anchor role to perfection in helping Maharashtra build up a total of 267 all out in 90.4 overs on the opening day of their MRF Buchi Babu invitation cricket tournament first round match against Indian Railways at the Southern Railway ground in Chennai on Sunday.

The right handed batsman came in when the first wicket fell at 37 in the 18th over and did not depart till he was seventh out at 207 off the last ball of the 68th over. His contribution of 88 was invaluable to Maharashtra who progressed only by fits and starts.

Winning the toss, Maharashtra lost their first wicket when Jaideep Narse who struggled for 73 minutes and 56 balls for four runs - a boundary being his only scoring shot - was out to left arm spinner Murali Karthik. Niranjan Godbole, who dominated the first wicket partnership with Narse, and Khirid then took the score to 86 before the former was run out for 58. He faced 106 balls and hit ten of them to the ropes.

Off spinners Sanjay Satpathy and Kulamani Parida then struck at regular intervals and Maharashtra at one stage were 162 for six. Satyen Lande (27) and Khirid then added 45 runs for the seventh wicket off 11 overs before Khirid was caught by wicketkeeper Sudhir Wankhede off Satpathy. During his 205-minute stay at the crease, Khirid faced 151 balls and hit 14 of them to the fence. Lande and Satyajit Satbhai then kept the innings going with an eighth wicket partnership of 51 runs off 19.5 overs. Satbhai remained unbeaten with 37 off 70 balls with four boundary hits. Parida was the most successful bowler with three for 67 off 21 overs while Satpathy took two for 77 from the same number of overs. Murali Karthik had two for 69 off 28 overs while Yere Goud who took the wickets of the last two batsmen with successive deliveries had two for five off 2.4 overs.

At close, Railways were seven for no loss off three overs with Vineet Saxena (4) and Amit Pagnis (2) at the crease.

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