Punjab paceman Love Ablash picked a five-wicket haul to dismiss Gujarat for 208 in their first innings on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy Super League Group B match at the Punjab Cricket Stadium in Mohali on Friday.

Ablash returned 5 for 40 after Punjab elected to field.

In reply, Punjab were 25 for no loss with openers Ravneet Rickey batting on 11 and Karan Goel on nine at close in their first innings.

Earlier, Bhavik Thakar top scored for Gujarat with an 85-run knock, aided by 13 hits to the fence, but the visitors struggled as wickets kept falling at regular intervals.

Akash Christian (5) was the first to go after he was caught by Gaurav at the second slip off a delivery of Ablash when the board read 12.

Four other batsmen Parthiv Patel (5) and Kirat Damani (8) failed miserably while two batsmen Ashraf Makda and Ishan Malhotra were out on duck.

Niraj Patel (29), Hemal Watekar (24), Hitesh Mazumdar (14), Timil Patel (13) and Nilesh Modi (13) were others to score in double digits.

Ishan Malhotra took 2 for 50 and Gagandeep Singh scalped one for 20 were the other wicket takers for the hosts.

Scorecard

Gujarat (1st innings):
N Modi c Dharmani b Ablash 11
A Christian c Gupta b Ablash 5
T Patel b Rajesh Sharma 13
P Patel lbw b Malhatra 5
N Patel lbw b Ablash 29
B Thaker c Kaul b Malhatra 85
K Damani b Ablash 8
H Watekar c Dharmani b Gagandeep Singh 24
A Makda run out (Goel) 0
H Majmudar c Gupta b Ablash 14
A Singh not out 0.
Extras: (lb 4, nb 10) 14     
Total: (all out; 75.5 overs; 312 mins) 208 

Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-18, 3-23, 4-67, 5-83, 6-105, 7-136, 8-163, 9-202, 10-208.

Bowling: Gagandeep Singh 16-7-20-1, L Ablash 18-4-40-5, I Malhatra 15.5-4-50-2, R S Sodhi 7-1-35-0, Rajesh Sharma 18-1-49-1, K Goel 1-0-10-0.

Punjab (1st innings):
R Ricky not out 10
K Goel not out 9
Extras: (lb 4, nb 1) 5
Total: (0 wickets; 10 overs) 24

To bat: Muneesh Sharma, P Dharmani, G Gupta, U Kaul, L Ablash, I Malhatra, Gagandeep Singh, Rajesh Sharma, RS Sodhi.

Bowling: A Makda 5-1-9-0, H Majmudar 3-0-11-0, A Singh 2-2-0-0.