Rain considerably cut short play on the opening days of the five matches of the Coromandel Cup at Bangalore and Mysore on Wednesday. While there was no play at all in two matches, there was only some play possible in the other three games.

Rain affected the day's play at the Gangothri Gladers ground in Mysore in the match between Hyderabad Cricket Association and MRF. Put in to bat, MRF were 98 for three off 31 overs. Because of overnight rain, the match started only after the lunch interval and due to bad light play was called off after the tea break.

Wicketkeeper KKS Karthik (9) was out with the total on 17. Skipper Sridharan Sriram (28) and Amit Pagnis steadied the innings with a second wicket partnership of 54 runs off 12.5 overs. Rajat Bhatia (14) did not last long but Pagnis (38) remained unbeaten. By the truncated end, he had faced 76 balls and hit six fours.

At the RSI ground, the clash between the KSCA XI and Andhra began only at 2.40pm. As a result, only 30 overs could be bowled. As it happened, Andhra won the toss and elected to field, perhaps in an attempt to make use of the damp conditions. At close, KSCA XI were 117/2.

For the KSCA XI, it was the promising young pair of openers, Mithun Beerala and Roland Barrington who began the proceedings. The association was not as successful as the hosts would have hoped and Barrington (10) was run out with the score on 34. Beerala however, continued unaffected. Deepak Chougule, fresh from a stint in the National Cricket Academy that included a trip to Australia made a quickfire 29 (33 balls, 5 fours) before being dismissed by Amit Pathak.

Former India player Vijay Bharadwaj joined Barrington out in the middle and the pair safely negotiated the bowling through to the close of play. Barrington went on sedately to remain unbeaten on 47 (98 balls, 8 fours) while Bharadwaj had helped himself to 16.

The NRA Grounds in Bangalore played host to the clash between KSCA Colts and the Kerala CA XI where only 42 overs were bowled in a day that was curtailed by rain. It was not until 2.45pm that play started. On winning the toss, Kerala CA XI skipper KN Ananthapadmanabhan inserted the KSCA Colts team. At the end of the day he might have rued the decision as the home side made it to 126/2 off 42 overs.

Openers Vinay Uthappa and Sham Ponnappa began well, putting together a stand of 56. Wily Ranji legspinner Ananthapadmanabhan trapped Uthappa (38) in front of the stumps and followed that up with the only other wicket to fall on the day. Just three runs after the fall of the first wicket, KM Aiyappa (0) fell and KSCA Colts were 59/2. Following that, Ponappa and B Akhil (32 not out, 72 balls, 3 fours) played out the day. Ponnappa remained unbeaten on 47 (132 balls, 4 fours).

Rain ruled out any play in the match between Indian Airlines and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation at the Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wodayar Sports Centre in Bangalore. The umpires called off play at lunch after two inspections. Rain also washed out the day's play in the game between India Cements and Roofit XI at the Central college grounds. The umpires called off play at 2.30 pm.

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