Karnataka rode on Aniruddha Joshi’s allround showing and Pavan Deshpande’s excellent half-century to beat a fighting Services by four wickets in a Group ‘D’ match of the Vijay Hazare tournamat the Jadavpur University ground here on Sunday.
Karnataka restricted Services to 231 for seven and recorded its second consecutive win.
Gritty performances by middle and lower order batsmen rescued Services, which was tottering at 114 for six in the 32nd over after put in to bat.
Karnakata seamers extracted good purchase from the pitch and M. Prasidh again provided early breakthroughs by scalping Nakul Verma and Amit Pachhara.
Abhijeet Salvi (30, 55b, 4x4) and Shamsher Yadav (37, 57b, 4x4) added 54 runs before the former was stumped off off-spinner Aniruddha, who replaced an unfit K. Gowtham, in the 21st over.
Karnataka mounted pressure by picking up three more wickets, including Aniruddha’s second, but suffered a bit due to its fielding lapses.
Suraj Yadav (44 n.o., 51b, 4x4, 1x6) and Diwesh Pathania (49, 59b, 5x4, 1x6), dropped by Anirudha at deep midwicket off J. Suchith early in his innings, formed an 82-run partnership – featuring discreet stroke play and smart running between wickets – to guide Services to a respectable aggregate.
Suraj and Diwesh shared the new ball to torment Karnataka again. Suraj claimed two wickets, Mayank Agarwal and R. Samarth, with only three runs on the board.
Robin Uthappa curbed the Services pacers’ spirited effort before launching a massive assault, cracking nine 4s and one six, predominantly on the leg side, to score a 43-ball 51 and put up 76 runs with Manish (23 off 43).
Uthappa hit Vipin Singh to long-on fence to reach his half-century. He was bowled in his attempt to steer the left-arm spinner in the same over. Soon, Manish fell to Poonam Poonia and Karnataka was in trouble at 81 for four.
Deshpande, who got a ‘life’ on 41, showed good temperament to add 49 with Stuart Binny (4) and 48 with Aniruddha. The southpaw played a few handsome drives and cuts among his seven hits to the ropes.
When Karnataka needed 54 runs, Deshpande was run out. Nevertheless, Aniruddha (50 n.o. off 37, 5x4, 2x6) and Suchith (24 n.o. off 18, 4x4) unleashed some spectacular shots to reach the target.
The scores: Services 231 for seven in 50 overs (Diwesh Pathania 49, Suraj Yadav 44 n.o., Shamsher Yadav 37, Abhijeet Salvi 30, M. Prasidh three for 39) lost to Karnataka 232 for six in 44.1 overs (Pavan Deshpande 73, Robin Uthappa 51, Aniruddha Joshi 50 n.o.).
