Ankit Bawne turned the page on a difficult season with a composed unbeaten century as Maharashtra recovered from early setbacks to finish the opening day of their Ranji Trophy campaign at 287/5 against Services at Palam A Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday, October 11.
34-year-old Bawne, playing in his 19th season of the Ranji Trophy, was unbeaten on 105 off 232 deliveries at stumps, having struck 11 boundaries and a six. The experienced batter found an able ally in young Vicky Ostwal, who was batting on 25 not out, as the pair added an unbeaten 58 runs for the sixth wicket to give Maharashtra a strong finish on a challenging surface.
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It was a knock that carried particular significance for Bawne, who endured the worst season of his first-class career last year. He averaged just 10 across seven matches, a far cry from his career average of nearly 50. With age no longer on his side, a strong start to the new season was important for the Maharashtra batter.
Bawne had spent the last two months preparing for the season and said he had been visualising an innings like this for several months. On the opening day, he delivered when his team needed him most.
Maharashtra, led by Prithvi Shaw in the absence of Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was away on India A duty, had lost two of their top three early before Shaw provided a counter-attacking response. The former India batter struck 70 off just 73 balls, hitting eight boundaries and a six, to put Maharashtra back on track.
The pitch showed signs of uneven bounce early, while left-arm pacer Rajbahadur Pal found movement and left-arm spinner Arjun Sharma made an early impact. Shaw mixed aggression with caution, negotiating the difficult periods before capitalising on scoring opportunities.
He looked set for a bigger score but was bowled by Arjun just before lunch, leaving Maharashtra to rebuild once again.
PATIENT TON FROM BHAWNE
That was when Bawne stepped up. He stitched together a 48-run partnership with Shaw before combining with Siddhesh Veer for a valuable 78-run stand for the fifth wicket. The partnerships helped Maharashtra navigate a surface that demanded patience and concentration.
Bawne’s innings was a reminder of the value of experience in first-class cricket, particularly away from home, where conditions can test a batter’s technique and temperament.
Maharashtra’s selectors, who were watching from the stands at Palam, would have been pleased with the team’s recovery and Bawne’s response on a tricky opening-day pitch. After a difficult campaign last season, the veteran has given himself and Maharashtra a timely reason for optimism as the new Ranji Trophy season gets underway.
– Ends
