Harvinder Singh

New Delhi: Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha made a dream debut claiming four wickets for 29 runs to bring Hyderabad back in contention after they suffered a batting collapse on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy elite division semi-final against Railways on Friday.

The 18-year-old claimed all the four Railways batsmen to fall to peg back the hosts after they bundled out Hyderabad for a paltry 166.

Apart from Anirudh Singh (92), none of the Hyderabad batmen showed application on the placid Karnail Singh Stadium track as the visitors were bowled out 25 minutes before tea.

The hosts looked like running away with the tie when openers Amit Pagnis (42) and Sanjay Bangar (24) gave them a solid start.

But Ojha, introduced as a second change bowler, claimed the wickets of Bangar and Tejinder Pal Singh in the same over and then scalped another two to restrict Railways at 103 for four at stumps, after they were cruising at 69 for no loss at one stage.

Allrounder J.P. Yadav (23) and Yere Gaud (0) were at the crease at close.

Ojha, who took 53 wickets in nine matches in the under-22 C.K. Nayudu Trophy this season, was a bit unlucky as Raja Ali (10) was dropped twice in one over. But the youngster had the last laugh when he trapped the batman leg before wicket.

Earlier, Hyderabad batsmen failed to justify their captain?s call to bat first as they lost two wickets in the very first over without any run on the board.

Harvinder Singh was the chief tormentor as he claimed four wickets for 28 runs. He was well supported by J.P. Yadav (3/55) and Murali Kartik (2/41).

Brief scores

Hyderabad 166 (Anirudh Singh 92; Harvinder Singh 4/28, J.P. Yadav 3/55, Murali Kartik 2/41). Railways 103/4 (Amit Pagnis 42, Sanjay Bangar 24, J.P. Yadav 23 n.o.; Pragyan Ojha 4/29).