Former Karnataka [ Images ] and India [ Images ] batsman Sujith Somasunder, who now plays for Kerala [ Images ], tops the runs aggregate in first class matches in the 2002-03 Indian domestic season, having scored 964 runs, at an impressive average of 60.25 in 10 matches. He is closely followed by Mumbai [ Images ] opening batsman Wasim Jaffer [ Images ], who has 941 runs, at an average of 55.35, to his name.

Young Delhi [ Images ] left-hander Gautam Gambhir [ Images ] has the highest average of 81.30, having scored 813 runs in eight matches. He is a certainity for the Indian team for the Dhaka triangular series following a consistent showing for the India 'A' team in the West Indies [ Images ] domestic Carib series.

Veteran spinner Narendra Hirwani from Madhya Pradesh [ Images ] tops the bowling charts with 73 wickets in nine matches, at an average of 17.38.

India discard Sunil Joshi is the only other bowler to pick more than 50 wickets -- 52 wickets in 9 matches, with an average of 17.11.

Following is a summary of the leading batsmen and bowlers:

Top run-getters this season - in all first-class matches (as on 1-4-2003)

Batsman	Runs	Mts	Avg
S Somasunder	964	10	60.25
W Jaffer	941	11	55.35
AA Pagnis	900	10	52.94
J Arunkumar	864	10	57.60
S Sriram	862	9	78.36
G Gambhir	813	8	81.30
Yashpal Singh	804	7	73.09
HH Kanitkar	797	7	61.30
Y Venugopal Rao [ Images ]	724	10	45.25
AR Khurasiya	717	9	51.21
VST Naidu	717	9	59.75
MSK Prasad	711	9	50.78
SS Parab	710	8	64.54
DS Manohar	700	9	46.66

Top wicket-takers this season - in all first-class matches (as on 1-4-2003)

Bowler	Wkts	Mts	Avg
ND Hirwani	73	9	17.38
Sunil B Joshi	52	9	17.11
A Bhandari	46	9	21.71
KS Parida	42	10	30.80
RJ Kanwat	41	11	24.00
L Balaji [ Images ]	38	6	13.18
KNA Padmanabhan	38	7	13.63
Sarandeep Singh	37	11	34.89
D Ganesh	36	9	25.66
F Shaikh	35	5	20.40
SV Bahutule	35	10	20.11
Irfan Pathan-jr	34	10	32.85
Amit Mishra [ Images ]	32	6	22.75
PV Gandhe	32	6	20.25
S Santh	32	10	27.87
M Acharya	30	6	24.73