VISAKHAPATNAM: It's not often that a first-class team gets bowled out for 36 and the other ends the day at 99/7. That was the story in the Hyderabad versus Himachal Pradesh Ranji Trophy match at Barshapara Stadium in Guwahati on Friday.
Due to weather, just 4.1 were possible on Thursday. The BCCI president Anurag Thakur's home state's 36 is the not the lowest in Ranji Trophy — Hyderabad's 21 against Rajasthan in 2010-11 holds that record — but the pitch at the new venue which made its debut this season has been a constant talking point. The two games before this one saw just one total in excess of 300.
Things only seem to have turned worse. Hyderabad coach Bharathi Arun was not particularly displeased with the way things panned out for his team. Crediting his bowlers for bundling out Himachal in 25 overs, he said there is no demon in the pitch.
“It's a wonderful effort by our bowlers. Saying that the pitch wasn't suitable for batting would be belittling their effort. It was a tricky wicket to bat on, with some lateral movement and bounce.
It had something for every bowler. Moreover, it was bad shot selection on part of the batsmen,” Arun told Express from Guwahati. Hyderabad all-rounder Chama Milind too felt survival on this pitch is possible, even though their team has lost seven wickets in 41 overs.
“I have bowled on this pitch, so I know how to survive here. If we can add some more runs, it will be very useful. It wasn't just our bowlers who bowled well but the opposition too, especially Rishi Dhawan.
If we play carefully, we can do the job for the team, as there is nothing happening in the wicket that could take us by surprise,” said Milind, who opened the bowling and took two wickets. The team that finishes second might have something different to say though!