Twin tons boost Vidarbha

NAGPUR: Ever since, he entered the Vidarbha fold, Mohit Kale (138, 228b, 18x4) was billed as "one for the future". Kale has performed well at every level and most importantly his runs came whenever Vidarbha desperately needed them.
The 23-year-old has often been guilty of throwing away bright starts. This season, however, has been different.
So far, this gutsy right-hander has shown that he is learning fast.After missing out on a hundred against Andhra-due to poor umpiring decision-Kale finally broke the jinx, scoring his maiden First Class Hundred.
It was fitting that Akshay Wadkar (111, 214b, 9x4), who scored his fifth First Class hundred, was with Kale at the crease when he reached the milestone. The two had been crisis men for Vidarbha Under-23 side three years ago. Having batted together on numerous occasions, the duo knows each other extremely well as they put on a record 209-run stand for the fifth wicket.
It was first ever double hundred stand for Vidarbha against Rajasthan and put defending champions in a position where they can dictate terms in their second Ranji Trophy Elite Group 'A' match on Wednesday. After declaring their first innings for 510-8, Umesh Yadav trapped Rajasthan's wicketkeeper batsman Chetan Bist right in front in the third over. Amitkumar Gautam (35, 60b, 5x4) and Mahipal Lomror (4, 49b, 1x4) batted out remaining 16 overs with further damage to score 45-1.
While Vidarbha looked in strong position when stumps were drawn, it wasn't the case at start when they resumed at overnight 288-4. A couple of wickets could have changed the course of the game. The ball was still new and Rajasthan left-arm pace duo Khaleel Ahmed and Tanveer Ul-Haq were getting enough movement both in the air and off the wicket. Kale and Wadkar showed enough patience and gave the first hour to bowlers. The first twelve overs yielded only 11 runs but Kale and Wadkar knew what they were doing.
By the time, Khaleel and Ul-Haq finished their spells, the Jamtha wicket got eased out and both batsmen played some superb shots besides keeping scoreboard busy with singles and doubles. They nearly batted out two sessions but Kale got out just before Tea while trying push the scoring rate. Wadkar completed his hundred in the last over before Tea. Ul-Haq was pick of the Rajasthan bowlers and picked four wickets.
SCOREBOARD
Vidarbha (1st Innings, overnight 288-4): Mohit Kale c R Choudhary b Sharma 138, Akshay Wadkar c R Choudhary b Ul-Haq 111, Akshay Karnewar c Lomror b Ul-Haq 6, Umesh Yadav c R Choudhary b Ahmed 0, Aditya Sarvate not out 1.
Extras: (b 5, lb 1, nb 7) 13.
Total: (8 Wkts, 153.1 Overs, declared) 510.
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-129, 3-238, 4-274, 5-483, 6-498, 7-506, 8-510.
Bowling: Tanveer Ul-Haq 32.1-7-87-4, Khaleel Ahmed 30-7-71-2, Rajat Choudhary 25-3-92-0, Shubham Sharma 29-2-120-1, Mahlipal Lomror 28-0-96-1, Salman Khan 9-1-38-0.
Rajasthan (1st Innings): Amitkumar Gautam batting 35, Chetan Bist lbw b Yadav 0, Mahipal Lomror batting 6.
Extras: (lb 4) 4.
Total: (1 Wkt, 19 Overs) 45.
Fall of wicket: 1-9.
Bowling: Umesh Yadav 5-1-15-1, Rajneesh Gurbani 3-1-13-0, Akshay Wakhare 6-5-1-0, Aditya Sarwate 5-1-12-0.