Seasoned left-arm pacer Jaydev Undakat returned a four-wicket haul to help India Red seize early initiative in the Duleep Trophy final as India Green were left reeling at 147 for 8 on the rain-hit opening day, here on Wednesday.
It turned out to be stop-start day after India Green captain Faiz Fazal opted to bat.
Mayank Markande, batting at number eight, emerged top-scorer with his 32-run unbeaten knock as Unadkat and his bowling colleagues never allowed the rival batmen tot settle by striking intermittently.
Fazal fell leg-before wicket to Unadkat for 16 after adding 19 runs for the opening wicket with Akshath Reddy.
Reddy (16) and Delhi batsman Dhruv Shorey (23) then put on 34 runs with the former adopting a positive approach.
However, three wickets -- Shorey, Siddhesh Lad and Reddy in the space of 12 runs, pegged India Green back.
While Shorey nicked one to wicket-keeper Ishan Kishan off Sandeep Warrier (1/25), Lad fell to Unadkat and Reddy's patient knock ended when he was run-out.
With Green in trouble at 73 for 4 in 25 overs, rain stopped play.
When the game resumed, Aksh Deep Nath (29) and Akshay Wadkar (6) looked to do the rescue act by adding 27 runs.
Left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate ended the stand, having Nath caught by skipper Priyank Panchal with the score at 92.
Green lost the wickets of Wadkar and all-rounder Dharmendrasinh Jadeja (15) to slip further.
Unadkat had his fourth scalp, when he had Rajesh Mohanty caught behind for a duck.
However, Markande's defiant knock and his 35-run stand for the ninth wicket with Tanveer ul-Haq (8 batting) ensured that Green finished the day without any further setbacks.
Rain stopped play with Green at 133 for 8 in 43 overs. Played resumed after some time but only six more overs were possible with bad light ending the day's proceedings.
Brief Score:
India Green: 147 for 8 in 49 overs (Mayank Markande 32 batting, Aksh Deep Nath 29; Jaydev Unadkat 4/58).
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
