Maharashtra took control of their match against Saurashtra when they bundled out the hosts for 177 in 62.3 overs on the opening day of their four-day Plate `B' Ranji match in Rajkot at the Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Ground on Sunday.
At stumps, Maharashtra had reached 63 without loss to wrest the initiative from Saurashtra.
Seamer Ranjit Khirid grabbed seven wickets for 45 in 17.3 overs while his new ball partner Iqbal Siddiqui took two for 40 in 15 overs.
For Saurashtra, only three batsmen managed to reach double figures against some tight and disciplined bowling after Saurashtra skipper Sitanshu Kotak won the toss and decide to bat first.
In first 10 overs, Saurashtra lost their top five batsmen after which wicket keeper A Kamalia and R Dhruv came to the rescue of the side and added 136 runs for the seventh wicket.
Rakesh Dhruv was the top scorer for his side making 79 in 135 balls with 14 fours while A Kamalia made 50 with five boundaries in 134 balls.
In reply, Maharashtra were 63 without loss in 27 overs. Opener Dhiraj Jadhav was batting on 33 with six fours in 85 balls while Niranjan Godbole was giving him company on 28 with four fours in 79 ball.
Saurashtra: First innings
K Vaghela c Godbole b I Siddiqui 8
A Merchant bowled R Khirid 0
S Kotak LBW R Khirid 6
J Shah c S Satbhai b R Khirid 2
F Bambhaniya LBW R Khirid 0
P Bhatt c C Kulkarni b I Siddiqui 2
A Kamliya c K Apbale b R Khirid 50
R Dhruv c and b R Khirid 79
N Odedara not out 4
N Doshi c H Kanitkar b R Khirid 16
S Jobanputra b R Khirid 0
Extras (b-4, lb-1, nb-5) 10
Total (all out in 62.3 overs) 177
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-8, 3-16, 4-16, 5-20, 6-20, 7-156,
8-157, 9-177.
Bowling: I Siddiqui 15-3-40-2, R Khirid 17.3-5-45-7, C
Kulkarni 7-1-30-0, K Jadhav 10-3-33-1, K Khadkikar 11-4-19-0,
H kanitkar 2-1-5-0.
Maharashtra: First innings
D Jadhav not out 33
N Godbole not out 28
Extra (nb-2) 2
Total (For no loss in 27 overs) 63
Bowling: S Jobanputra 8-2-24-0, K Vaghela 5-1-11-0, A
Merchant 3-0-8-0, R Dhruv 6-3-13-0, N Odedara 3-1-3-0, N Doshi
2-1-4-0.
