Buchi Babu Final: Hyderabad in charge after day one

Though the wicket wasn't visibly a green-top from afar, it had grass in it, indicative of its capacity to retain moisture prompting Hyderabad to bowl first.

Washington Sundar top-scored with 45 for President's XI.

Four Hyderabad bowlers picked up two wickets each, as TNCA Presiden't XI was bowled out for 200 on day one of the Kalpathi AGS Buchi Babu all-India invitational cricket tournament final at the SSN College ground here on Thursday. Washington Sundar top-scored with 45 for President's XI. Though the wicket wasn't visibly a green-top from afar, it had grass in it, indicative of its capacity to retain moisture prompting Hyderabad to bowl first. Even as its bowlers sought to, and did justify it, President's XI didn't resist as much as it could. That is, if the 84-run third wicket stand was anything to go by. After openers Kaushik Gandhi and Suryapprakash exited - the former was caught behind off Ravi Kiran, and the latter was caught at covers off Sudeep Tyagi - Baba Aparajith and Washington Sundar steadied the ship. Aparajith hit two fours - one a lucky edge, and the other a square cut - in his 87-ball stay. Washington Sundar hit four fours - a square cut and a pull to the deep midwicket - and a six during his 82-ball knock. Left-arm spinner Mehdi Hasan broke the resistance when he caught Aparajith off his own bowling. Thereafter, there was one brief stint of resistance. R. Rohith (27, 43b) and Pradosh Ranjan Paul (21, 32b) added 33 runs off 46 balls for the fifth wicket. Rohith lost his off-stump to Ravi Kiran, a striking image of the day. Hyderabad's innings was interrupted by rain. However after resumption, it had a 54-run first wicket partnership, but lost opener P. Akshath Reddy (30, 49b), and was left with 125 to get off 70 overs at close. Brief scores (final, day one): TNCA President's XI 200 in 56.1 overs (Washington Sundar 45, Baba Aparajith 38, Sudeep Tyagi two for 33, M. Ravi Kiran two for 44, Mehdi Hasan two for 73, Akash Bhandari two for seven) vs. Hyderabad 76 for one in 20 overs (P. Akshath Reddy 30)