Openers take Rlys on safe, steady run

After being hit on the helmet of the first ball he faced of Cameron Cuffy, Shreyas Khanolkar showed no signs of panic, hitting the same bowler for two consecutive fours in the very next over to set his intentions clear. ‘‘I have never opened but I always wanted to,’’ said the jubilant former Maharashtra under-19 player. He reached his half-century off just 44 balls and then raced to his maiden ton requiring just another 42. The runs came so smoothly and effortlessly from Khanolkar’s bat that the Carribean bowlers were clueless and could do nothing to check his freestrokes.

At the other end, Murali Kartik made the most of the sloppy Windies fielding after being dropped twice (22, 26) off Cuffy. Kartik lived dangerously, edging and lofting every bowler he faced, but made sure that he picked up the runs and kept pace with Khanolkar. But Kartik’s 50 was the fastest of the day, coming in just 42 balls.

Earlier, Railways struck thrice in each session to restrict the West Indies to 354 for eight. But spinner Gareth Breese and Mahendra Nagamootoo frustrated the Railway bowlers till the visitors declared their innings at the stroke of tea. The pair had added an unbeaten partnership of 95 runs for the ninth wicket—with Breese (57) and Nagamootoo (39). Out of the five main strike bowlers for Railways only Kartik returned without success. However the bowler’s fourth spell was the only saving grace for him as the figures read 7-3-6-0.