Ranji Trophy: Wickets tumble on day one

February 26, 2015 01:55 am | Updated 02:03 am IST - Bengaluru:

ON CLOUD NINE: Karnataka skipper Vinay Kumar (second from left), who scalped six, is jubilant after dismissing Mumbai's Siddhesh Lad on day one of the Ranji Trophy semifinal on Wednesday. Photo: K  Bhagya Prakash

ON CLOUD NINE: Karnataka skipper Vinay Kumar (second from left), who scalped six, is jubilant after dismissing Mumbai's Siddhesh Lad on day one of the Ranji Trophy semifinal on Wednesday. Photo: K Bhagya Prakash

It rained wickets at the Chinnaswamy Stadium and as 21 batsmen retreated here on Wednesday, Karnataka stayed ahead thanks to skipper R. Vinay Kumar’s six for 20 spell that ambushed Mumbai.

The Ranji Trophy semifinal is headed for an early finish and at close on the opening day, Karnataka scored 10 for two in its second innings after a 202 in its first outing. The host’s batting stints was split by Mumbai’s interlude of 15.3 overs in which the visitor mustered a first innings score of 44!

Karnataka has an overall lead of 168 and Vinay said that he was hoping to set a 350-run target. However, his two leading batsmen — Robin Uthappa and K.L. Rahul — have already been dismissed. Yet, the defending champion would like to believe that it has secured the reins of the contest.

The tale of rapid wickets sprung into view once Karnataka won the toss and opted to bat. Rahul miscued a pull off Shardul Thakur, R. Samarth got run-out, a needless dismissal much akin to Vinay’s hara-kiri lower down the order.

Good knock

For the rest of the morning, the host’s sunny disposition was nourished by Uthappa, whose 68 (100b, 10x4, 1x6) was a pleasant endeavour in which the drives stood out for their sheer class.

Once Uthappa survived a close call for lbw from Thakur, he along with Manish Pandey set about sealing the cracks from 34 for two. But the 81-run third-wicket partnership ended with Uthappa hanging his bat to seamer Wilkin Mota. The edge was taken and at lunch, Mumbai had a better appetite while Karnataka had mixed feelings about 117 for three.

The afternoon session turned worse for Vinay’s men as seven wickets fell for just 85 from 26.2 overs. Karun Nair resisted but the rest succumbed to the accurate line and the reverse swing that the Mumbaiseamers produced.

Vinay then halted Mumbai’s momentum, drawing first blood with his second delivery and as Akhil Herwadkar trudged back, Karnataka fielders were buzzing all over the place.

Vinay bowled an impeccable line while Mumbai missed an injured Abhishek Nayar, who after suffering a head-injury, was hospitalised and could not bat.

The scores:

Karnataka — 1st innings: Robin Uthappa c Suryakumar Yadav b Mota 68, K.L. Rahul c Sandhu b Thakur 15, R. Samarth run out 3, Manish Pandey lbw b Thakur 34, Karun Nair (not out) 49, Kunal Kapoor b Thakur 0, C.M. Gautam lbw b Nayar 4, Shreyas Gopal c Tare b Sandhu 0, R. Vinay Kumar run out 17, A. Mithun c Tare b Thakur 0, S. Arvind  c Tare b Mota 2; Extras (b-8, lb-1, w-1): 10; Total (in 60.2 overs): 202.

Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-34, 3-115, 4-133, 5-133, 6-153,  7-154, 8-178, 9-179.

Mumbai bowling: Shardul Thakur 18-6-61-4, Balwinder Singh Sandhu 14-0-57-1, Wilkin Mota 14.2-9-18-2, Harmeet Singh 5-0-28-0, Abhishek Nayar 9-0-29-1.

Mumbai — 1st innings: Akhil Herwadkar lbw b Vinay 0, Aditya Tare c Gautam b Vinay 9, Shreyas Iyer lbw b Mithun 15, Suryakumar Yadav c Karun b Arvind 12, Siddhesh Lad c Shreyas b Vinay 0, Nikhil Patil c Pandey b Vinay 2, Wilkin Motta lbw b Vinay 0, Shardul Thakur c Rahul b Vinay 6, Harmeet Singh lbw b Arvind 0, Balwinder Singh Sandhu (not out) 0, Abhishek Nayar (absent hurt); Total (in 15.3 overs): 44.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-23, 3-25, 4-25, 5-31, 6-31, 7-37, 8-41, 9-44.

Karnataka bowling: R. Vinay Kumar 8-1-20-6, Abhimanyu Mithun 5-0-23-1, S. Arvind 2.3-1-1-2.

Karnataka — 2nd innings: Robin Uthappa  c Mota b Thakur 4, K.L. Rahul c Tare b Sandhu 2, Abhimanyu Mithun (batting) 4 , R. Samarth (batting) 0; Total (for two wkts. in five overs): 10.

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-10.

Mumbai bowling: Thakur 2-0-8-1, Sandhu 2-1-2-1, Mota 1-1-0-0.

Toss: Karnataka.

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