Dream debut for Kaul; Halhadar scores 100

Seventeen-Year-Old Punjab medium-pacer Siddharth Kaul had a dream debut, grabbing four wickets on the first day of the Ranji Trophy...

Seventeen-Year-Old Punjab medium-pacer Siddharth Kaul had a dream debut, grabbing four wickets on the first day of the Ranji Trophy Super League Group B tie against Orissa at the PCA Stadium in Mohali, today.

His fourth dismissal, Halhadar Das (100), fell on the last ball of the day, caught by Siddharth’s brother Uday. It was wicketkeeper Das’ maiden first-class century, and it put Orissa in a good position as they finished the day at 273/8.

Earlier, Punjab skipper Pankaj Dharmani won the toss and put Orissa in to bat. Medium pacer Gagandeep Singh struck in the fifth over, getting SS Pati (13) bowled.

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At the other end, it was Orissa captain S S Das batting, who played some defensive strokes. Gagandeep Singh and VRV Singh kept the Orissa batsmen under control and did not allow them to cut loose.

Dharmani introduced debutant Siddharth Kaul as a first change bowler. Kaul did not let down his captain and got the wicket of S S Das (19) in the 14th over. Two balls later, Kaul consumed RR Das (0). Orissa was tottering at 50 for 4 in the 14th over of the innings.

But a fifth-wicket partnership between Rashmi Parida (52) and Pininti Jayachandra (36) helped their team recover.

Brief scores: Orissa 273/8 (H Das 100, R Parida 52; S Kaul 4/58) v Punjab.