India Green cash in on Rasool's fifer vs India Blue in Duleep Trophy

India Green reached 100/3 in response to India Blue's first innings score of 177, at stumps on the opening day of the day and night Duleep Trophy match, played at the Green Park Stadium here from Tuesday.

Electing to bat after winning the toss, India Blue rode on senior batsman Manoj Tiwary's valiant 78 and skipper Suresh Raina's 40-run effort after Jammu and Kashmir off-spinner Parvez Rasool wreaked havoc picking five wickets in the first innings.

Rasool was assisted well by pacer Aniket Choudhary (3/18) and left-arm spinner Mayank Dagar (2/11) as only five of the India Blue batsmen managed to reach double figures.

In reply, Nitin Saini (25) and Kaushik Gandhi (39) gave India Green a patient 53-run opening start before veteran pacer Ishant Sharma struck to send back Saini.

The India Green side suffered two more jolts towards the end of the day's play with Gandhi and Prashant Chopra (26) finding themselves back in the hut with the scorecard reading 100/3.

Rajasthan pacer Pankaj Singh accounted for the wicket of Gandhi while Vidharbha off-spinner Akshay Wakhare smartly packed back Chopra.

Brief Scores: India Blue first innings: 177 (Manoj Tiwary 78, Suresh Raina, Parvez Rasool 5/70, Aniket Choudhary 3/18) vs India Green first innings: 100/3 (Kaushik Gandhi 39, Prashant Chopra 26, Ishant Sharma 1/15).

--IANS

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