Ahmed stars as 22 wickets tumble

Puducherry's Fabid Ahmed hogged the limelight with an all-round show on a day 22 wickets tumbled in their Ranji Trophy Plate Group match against Arunchal Pradesh here.

The Kerala recruit top-scored with an unbeaten 41 before Puducherry were bundled out for 136 after Arunachal Pradesh opted to bowl at the DN Singha Stadium.

Ahmed then foxed the Arunchal Pradesh batsmen with his off-spin on way to career-best figures of 6/29.

Former India pacer Pankaj Singh (3/20) also chipped in with crucial breakthroughs as Arunchal Pradesh folded for 82 at their adopted home venue.

Under fading lights, Arunachal Pradesh's Upadhyal Deendyal dismissed both the openers for a total of 22 wickets on the day.

At stumps on day one, Puducherry were 28/2, leading by 82 runs.

In Shillong, left-arm spinner Ashutosh Aman starred for Bihar, returning with a career-best 8/51, as hosts Meghalaya were skittled out for 125 at their home ground.

Opener Raj Biswa provided some resistance with a fighting 56 from 105 balls (4x4, 3x6) before being trapped by Aman.

Bihar were 80/2 at close, trailing Meghayala by 45 runs.

Uttarakhand pacer Deepak Dhapola (5/49) claimed his sixth five-wicket haul in five matches to help his side bundle out Nagaland for 207 in Dehradun.

Eyeing a sixth win on the trot, the Plate group leaders were on 73/2, trailing by 134 runs.

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