Sharma hits 108, Jammu and Kashmir bowl out Assam for 263

Jammu: Gokul Sharma struck his fourth first-class hundred as Assam were bowled out for 263 against Jammu and Kashmir on the opening day of their Group `C` Ranji Trophy match, here Saturday.

Sharma`s 203-ball 108 and his 102-run eighth-wicket stand with Prasanta Sonowal (40 not out) lifted the visitors from a precarious 150 for seven to a respectable 263 at Gandhi Memorial Science College Ground. Sent in to bat, Assam kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and slumped to 83 for five in 37th over. J&K`s medium pacer Mohammed Mudhasir Gujree bowled with a lot of fire and struck regularly to rock the visitors` top and middle-order batting. He picked up four of Assam`s first five wickets. A 44-run seventh-wicket stand between skipper Abu Nechim and Gokul tried to stem the flow of wickets but it was the Sonowal-Gokul partnership that boosted Assam`s total. Sonowal played a handy knock of 85-ball 40. For J&K, Mudhasir ended with figures of five for 71. Brief Scores: Assam 262 all out in 87.5 overs (Gokul Sharma 108; Mudhasir 5/71).