Paithani powers Baroda

Paithani powers Baroda
Express News Service

RAJKOT, Dec 17: Yusuf Paithani's strokeful unbeaten knock of 91 runs (141b, 187m, 8x4, 4x6) helped Baroda to 223 for six against Saurashtra on the opening day of Vijay Merchant Trophy under-16 West Zone league match here today. At stumps, Paithani and Hemal Shah (11) were at the crease.

Electing to bat, Baroda began disastrously losing five wickets for just 113 runs on board. However, it was the vital 90-run sixth wicket partnership between Ravi Pandya (29) and Paithani that lent some respectability to Baroda's total.

Brief Scores: Baroda 223-6 (Y Matruja 36, Irfan Pathan 31, Y Paithani batting 91 batting; S Hansalpara 3-65)

Sameer Dighe to lead
MUMBAI: Wicket-keeper Sameer Dighe will lead Mumbai with Amol Muzumdar as deputy in the two concluding West Zone Ranji Trophy league matches against Gujarat and Saurashtra respectively.

The Mumbai-Gujarat tie is at Surat from Dec 26-30 while Saurashtra will play at Wankhede Stadium here from January 2-6.

Team against Gujarat: SameerDighe (captain), Amol Muzumdar (vice-captain), Rajesh Sutar, Amit Pagnis, Jatin Paranjpe, Vinod Kambli, Sairaj Bahutule, Amit Dani, Paras Mhambrey, Santosh Saxena, Nilesh Kulkarni, Sriram Kannan, Shreyas Khanolkar, Mandar Phadke and Rajesh Pawar.

Team against Saurashtra: Dighe, Muzumdar, Wasim Jaffer, Pagnis, Paranjpe, Kambli, Bahutule, Pushkaraj Jadhav, Mhambrey, Saxena, Kulkarni, Abey Kuruvilla, Kannan, Khanolkar and Pawar.