Swapnil Singh continued his good form this season with an unbeaten 94 (182b, 10x4, 3x6) and frustrated Tamil Nadu (TN) despite a good bowling performance, as Baroda ended day one on 254 for eight in the final league match here on Saturday.
Electing to bat, Baroda started off aggressively with Kedar Devdhar picking four quick boundaries in the first five overs; all fine shots down the ground. But TN bowlers pulled back with some clever ploy bouncing the opener. Yo Mahesh came around the wicket and bounced him before K. Vignesh induced a false pull shot that went straight to the square leg fielder.
The visitor continued to bowl impressively and picked two more wickets, first Aditya Waghmode, caught at leg slip off Vignesh and then Vishnu Solanki top edging to fine leg off Washington Sundar to reduce Baroda to 68 for three.
Swapnil joining skipper Deepak Hooda did well to see of the final half hour before lunch. He made his intent clear, lofting Washington Sundar for consecutive sixes over mid-wicket to get his innings started (he moved from 1 to 13).
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Hooda and Swapnil started well post lunch but the TN bowlers came back strongly with a disciplined line. First, left-arm spinner Sai Kishore struck getting Hooda caught and bowled.
From the other end, medium pacer J. Kousik bowled a good spell consistently outside the off stump and the Baroda batsmen succumbed poking at it with Mitesh Patel and Atit Sheth giving simple catches to the slip and keeper respectively. At the stroke of tea, M. Mohammed was rewarded for his persistence with Dhruv Patel edging it to the keeper with Baroda struggling at 176 for seven.
Even as wickets fell around him, Swapnil looked in complete control scoring 45 of the 77 runs that came in the second session as he found boundaries with ease.
However, post tea, Baroda made a good recovery with Kartik Kakade and Swapnil adding 69 for the eighth wicket with the former making 42. Kakade played freely and delivered some big sixes over long off, first off Kousik and then Sai Kishore. He was run out after being sent back by Swapnil while attempting a second run at the keeper’s end just three overs before stumps.
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