The dictum says,bat first if you win the toss. And if there is doubt,still bat first. But rains over the past couple of days and a moist,cold morning were tempting enough for Hyderabad skipper VVS Laxman to let his seamers have the first go on a pitch sure to test the batting initially. In the end,it proved a masterstroke as Hyderabad pacers struck thrice in the first hour and never let Punjab batsmen settle down on their home pitch. Barring opener Ravi Inder Singhs defiance,and a few precious runs from the lower order,Punjab were clueless against the bowlers,led by Munagala Praneet Arjun,who claimed six wickets on the first day. Punjab finished their first innings at 221,and even though they prized out a Hyderabad wicket,restricting them to 12 for one at close,it appears an uphill task for the home team from here. Arjun took all the first six wickets to fall. Sunny Sohal,Uday Kaul and Taruwar Kohli went before the Punjab total could reach 50. Ravi looked confident and played the ball on merit. He had a useful stand with Pankaj Dharmani but just when it seemed Punjab had played out the threat,both Ravi and Dharmani fell in quick succession. Dharmani fell seven runs short of completing 7,000 runs in Ranji Trophy while Ravi was caught brilliantly by Ambati Rayudu for 63,including 10 fours. He also completed 1000 runs in Ranji Trophy in his 26th match. Making his Ranji debut,24-year-old Vishwas Bhalla (24) and Ankur Kakkar (30) were involved in 54-run sixth-wicket partnership but no Punjab batsman could build on to a good start as Arjun scalped his sixth wicket by getting Bhalla out. Tail-enders,Manpreet Gony (20) and Rahul Sharma (16) helped the team cross 200. Hyderabad were well served by Absolem,who had figures of three for 56. Punjab did manage to dismiss Hyderabad opener Abhinav Kumar for 9 and things could get interesting if the home pacers use the conditions well. But with someone like Laxman in their ranks,Hyderabad can simply run away with the game. Brief scores: Punjab (1st innings): 221 all out (Ravi Inder Singh 63; MP Arjun 6/47,Alfred Absolem 3/56); Hyderabad (1st innings): 12 for 1 (Harmeet Singh 1/2)
