Last Update: January 31, 2023, 21:11 IST
Ricky Bhui hit a century in the quarter-finals (Twitter Image)
Bhui’s 115 not out and Shinde’s 83 not out helped Andhra end the day at 262 for two.
Ricky Bhui’s fluent century and his association with Karan Shinde helped Andhra overcome an injury to skipper Hanuma Vihari on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy quarter-final against defending champions Madhya Pradesh.
Bhui’s 115 not out and Shinde’s 83 not out helped Andhra end the day at 262 for two.
Sent in to bat by MP skipper Aditya Srivastava, the visitors got off to a brisk start with CR Dnyaneshwar (24) and Abhishek Reddy (22) adding 37 runs.
Reddy was the first to fall, trapped lbw by medium pacer Gaurav Yadav (2/53), who was the only MP bowler to take a wicket on the day.
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Captain Vihari joined Dnyaneshwar and the duo added 21 runs before Yadav dismissed him.
Vihari and Bhui played cautiously, but Aveg Khan hit Vihari with a bouncer. Andhra’s score at that time was 72 runs for two wickets.
The blow left Vihari in some trouble and he later decided to retire hurt. Later, scans revealed that the Andhra skipper had suffered a fractured wrist.
However, the batsmen recovered after Vihari’s injury and thwarted the MP attack. A key member of the visiting team’s batting unit, Bhui played with great determination and kept the scoreboard ticking in Shinde’s company.
Both did not mind playing a few quiet overs in the middle, but scored runs when the bowlers made mistakes in line and length. Avesh Khan worked some pace but fumbled the ball here and there at times. He hit 12 fours in the 19 overs he bowled that day.
Yadav bowled relentlessly and was rewarded with the scalps of Dnyaneshwar and Abhishek Reddy. A 190-run stand between Bhui, who helped himself with 12 fours and a six, and Shinde ensured that Andhra went into a position of strength at stumps.
Brief Scores: Andhra 262 for 2 in 88 overs (Ricky Bhui 115 batting, Karan Shinde 83 batting) v Madhya Pradesh.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)