Orissa score 203 for five on day one

Hyderabad:

Pravanjan Mullick cracked an unbeaten half-century, while Halhadar Das missed it by a whisker as Orissa scored 203 for five against Hyderabad on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Super League Group A match on Tuesday.

Mullick played the sheet anchor's role with a defiant 73, studded with six fours, and in company of Das (49) stitched a 93-run partnership to resurrect Orissa's first innings after an early collapse at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here.

Put into bat, Orissa lost openers Bikas Pati (2) and Shiv Sunder Das (19) by the 15th over to leave the visitors tottering at 27 for two.

Niranjan Behera (7) also didn't stay long and was bowled by Alfred Absolem in the 20th over. Rakesh Mohanty (42) then joined hands with Mullick and the two forged a 50-run partnership before the former was sent packing in the 41st over by Munagala Praneet Arjun.

Das then joined Mullick and the two picked up ones and twos before their partnership was broken by Arjun in the 81st over.

For Hyderabad, Arjun scalped three wickets giving away 30 runs in 19 overs, while Absolem and Khader bagged a wicket each.

Brief Score:

Orissa first innings: 203 for 5 in 90 overs (P Mullick 73, H Das 49; MP Arjun 3/30)