Suresh Raina’s miserable run continued to dent Uttar Pradesh’s campaign in the Ranji Trophy this season. The left-hander, looking to make a comeback to the national side, lasted only three balls as Karnataka looked set to take the first innings lead at the end of the third day’s play in their Group A match at the Green Park stadium here.
With an aggregate of 105 runs from nine innings, Raina could end the season without a half-century to his name assuming he does not get to bat again. This is Uttar Pradesh’s sixth and last league match as it battles to avoid a bottom finish. The home team ended the day at 243 for five when play was called off with 12 overs remaining.
Resuming at 642 for seven, Karnataka added 13 more on Sunday morning. The host was served with distinction by seamer Imtiaz Ahmed, who finished with six wickets. He had lamented the fact that consistency had not been his strong point this year but the stocky bowler from Varanasi made an impression with his diligence.
“This season has taught me the importance to take the hard times in your stride. You have to back yourself on pitches which don’t offer help. Here I was banking on using the old ball. The reverse swing helped me a lot,” said Imtiaz, the best bowler on view in this contest thus far.
Faced with an imposing target for first innings honours, Uttar Pradesh began on a rousing note with openers Umang Sharma and Shivam Chaudhary, hardly perturbed by the situation, adding 106 in an entertaining partnership. They played their strokes and scattered the attacking field they were confronted with.
The lanky Chaudhary played the dominant role, hitting six fours and three sixes. But he was also the first to go when off-spinner K. Gowtham pierced through his defensive prod, the ball slipping in between bat and pad. Four balls later Uttar Pradesh lost Raina, trapped in front to medium pacer Ronit More.
Umang and the left-handed Mohammad Saif applied themselves well, opting to play the ball on merit rather than take chances. Umang, who batted 158 balls, fell to uncharacteristic complacence; his jab offering a sharp chance to Vinay Kumar on his left at slip. The Karnataka skipper took a good reflex catch to end a good innings.
The scores: Karnataka —1st innings: R. Samarth c Upendra b Dhruv Pratap 16, Mayank Agarwal c Umang b Akshdeep 90, D. Nischal c Upendra b Dhruv Pratap 195, Karun Nair b Dhruv Pratap 62, Manish Pandey c Upendra b Imtiaz 238, Stuart Binny b Imtiaz 25, C.M. Gautam c Rinku b Imtiaz 4, Shreyas Gopal c Upendra b Imtiaz 1, R. Vinay Kumar c Upendra b Imtiaz 8, K. Gowtham b Imtiaz 3, Ronit More (not out) 2; Extras (b-1, lb-8, nb-1, w-1): 11; Total (in 186.1 overs): 655.
Fall of wickets: 1-66, 2-121, 3-236, 4-590, 5-633, 6-634, 7-636, 8-645, 9-652.
UP bowling: Ankit Rajpoot 44-4-176-0, Imtiaz Ahmed 32.1-5-110-6, Dhruv Pratap Singh 27-5-108-3, Saurabh Kumar 50-9-146-0, Akshdeep Nath 15-1-51-1, Mohammad Saif 15-2-37-0, Suresh Raina 2-0-8-0, Rinku Singh 1-0-10-0.
Uttar Pradesh — 1st innings: Umang Sharma c Vinay b Shreyas Gopal 89, Shivam Chaudhary b K. Gowtham 57, Suresh Raina lbw b More 0, Mohammad Saif c Nischal b Karun 26, Akshdeep Nath lbw b More 3, Rinku Singh (batting) 57, Upendra Yadav (batting) 9; Extras (b-1, lb-1): 2; Total (for five wkts. in 69 overs): 243.
Fall of wickets: 1-106, 2-107, 3-162, 4-173, 5-201.
Karnataka bowling: R. Vinay Kumar 12-3-35-0, Ronit More 17-1-54-2, Shreyas Gopal 9-0-42-1, Stuart Binny 9-3-21-0, K. Gowtham 15-2-72-1, Karun Nair 5-0-13-1, R. Samarth 2-0-4-0.
