Ranji Trophy: Himachal bowled out for 36

A disciplined performance from Hyderabad's bowlers caused Himachal's batting to collapse as it was bowled out for its lowest ever total, 36, on Day Two of the Ranji Trophy Group C tie in Guwahati.

Rishi Dhawan (right) took six for 35 to break the back of Hyderabad's batting line-up as Himachal limited the damage on Day Two.

A disciplined performance from Hyderabad’s bowlers helped it skittle out Himachal for 36 on the second day in the Ranji Trophy Group C tie at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium here on Friday. It was Himachal’s lowest ever total.

However, the day was not to be so one-sided as Himachal's captain and seamer Rishi Dhawan took six wickets to leave Hyderabad struggling at 99 for 7 at stumps.

>Scorecard

Himachal, resuming from eight for two in the first innings, was all out in 25 overs after a delayed start of an hour and 15 minutes due to wet patches on the outfield.

Hyderabad bowlers' collective effort maintained the stranglehold on Himachal.

Armed with his accuracy, the nippy Ravi Kiran bowled Nikhil Gangta through the gate in the seventh over of the morning.

Bowling around the wicket, left-arm pacer C.V. Milind struck in the next over, making Paras Dogra offer a thick edge to second slip. Ravi Kiran trapped Robin Bist in front to put Himachal in deep trouble at 18 for five.

The lack of application was apparent from Himachal’s batsmen. The team took lunch at 32 for six when Dhawan pulled Mohammad Siraj straight to Mehdi Hasan at midwicket.

Leg-spinner Akash Bhandari got enough turn and bounce to dismiss Sumeet Verma and Shresth Nirmohi in his first over after resumption, and claimed Pankaj Jaswal and Gurvinder Singh in his third.

Himachal went below its previous lowest aggregate of 64, scored against Services at Una in 1986-87 as none of its batsmen reached double figures.

Tables turned

Hyderabad's joy was short-lived, though.

After castling Benjamin Thomas in the third over, Dhawan bowled a better line and length and generated swing in his next two spells. He had Akshath Reddy caught at gully to break a 38-run second-wicket partnership and had B. Sandeep caught behind in the following over.

Dhawan returned for his devastating third spell, scalping three Hyderabad batsmen for 19 runs. In consecutive deliveries, K. Sumanth was caught at slip and S. Badrinath was bowled while leaving the ball. Bhandari was caught behind to give Dhawan his first five-wicket haul of the season.

Anirudh bent his back and held one end intact with an unbeaten 44, studded with six boundaries. “Our pacers did a good job. We need 30-40 more runs to be in a good position,” said Hyderabad’s coach Bharat Arun.