Bhatt`s six wicket haul put Baroda in command

Vadodara: Left-arm spinner Bhargav Bhatt spun the web around Odisha batsmen to put Baroda in a commanding position at the end of the opening day`s play in a Ranji Trophy Group B match here on Saturday.

Bhatt scalped six wickets for 73 runs while pacer Mutuja Vahora (3/54) also chipped in with useful wickets to help Baroda shot out Odisha for paltry 182 in their first innings. In reply, Baroda were 34 for one with Aditya Waghmode (11 not out) and Abhimanyu Chauhan (2 not out) occupying the crease at stumps. Opener Saurabh Wakaskar (17) was the lone Baroda wicket to fall in the day, caught by Bikas Pati off Samal. Sent into bat, only four Odisha batsmen could register double figures as Bhatt wreacked havoc with his slow tweakers. Govind Podder top-scored for Odisha with a well-made 82, while Saurabh Sehgal (37 not out), Niranjan Behera (20) and Lagnajit Samal are the other batsmen to have managed double digits scores for the visitors. Brief Scores: Odisha 1st innings: 181 all out in 72.3 overs (Govind Podder 82; Bhargav Bhatt 6/73). Baroda 1st innings: 34 for one in 18 overs (Saurabh Wakaskar 17, Aditya Waghmode 11 not out; agnajit Samal 1/7). PTI