Yash Kasvankar (51 batting, 177b, 4x4) and Darshan Misal (51, 108b, 5x4, 1x6) rescued Goa from 84 for six, but Vidarbha claimed the advantage on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match here at the VCA Jamtha Stadium on Monday.

After losing the toss and being asked to bat, Goa openers Suyash Prabhudessai and Shivendra Bhujbal found themselves back in the hut inside two overs. Nachiket Bhute (four for 40) continued to test Manthan Khutkar and Abhinav Tejrana but the duo was able to see out the remainder of the first hour.

That resolve would break in the first over after drinks as Rajneesh Gurbani athletically snaffled a flowing straight-drive from Khutkar. Snehal Kaunitkar departed in the next over, guiding Bhute to R. Samarth at second slip for nought.

Tejrana and Lalit Yadav got to lunch without further damage but fell to Bhute in quick succession soon after. He ended the duo’s partnership by finding Tejrana’s outside edge, before trapping Lalit in front.

At that point, it seemed only a matter of time before Goa folded, but its first essay was extended by a gutsy partnership between the spin-bowling all-rounders, who defended resolutely until tea.

Vidarbha shelled opportunities to dismiss both after the break, and as the final session progressed, both opened up slightly more, running briskly and picking the odd boundary. Misal raised the 100-run partnership with a towering six over long-off, before knocking a single to leg to raise his own half-century a ball later.

The host ran through its bowling options in pursuit of the breakthrough in vain until Parth Rekhade jagged one past Misal’s outside edge to leave him stranded.

Soon after, Gurbani returned with the new ball and trapped Ruthvik Naik in front, while Kasvadkar reached his half-century before the close of play.

The scores: Goa — 1st innings: Suyash Prabhudessai c Harsh b Bhute 1, Shivendra Bhujbal c Malewar b Harsh 0, Manthan Khutkar c & b Gurbani 16, Abhinav Tejrana c Wadkar b Bhute 30, Snehal Kauthankar c Samarth b Bhute 0, Lalit Yadav lbw Bhute 22, Yash Kasvankar (batting) 51, Darshan Misal st Wadkar b Rekhade 51, Ruthvik Naik lbw Gurbani 6, Vasuki Koushik (batting) 4; Extras (b-5, lb-14, wd-2, nb-2) 23; Total (for eight wkts. in 86 overs): 204.

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-3, 3-34, 4-35, 5-75, 6-84, 7-187, 8-197.

Vidarbha bowling: Harsh Dubey 18-3-47-1, Nachiket Bhute 18-4-40-4, Yash Thakur 15-3-35-0, Rajneesh Gurbani 17-7-28-2, Parth Rekhade 15-3-31-1, Aman Mokhade 3-1-4-0.