Saurashtra 227 for 7 (Snell 85, More 5-54) trail Karnataka 275 (Gopal 87, Sharath 83*, Unadkat 4-56) by 48 runs
Karnataka scrapped and fought to keep themselves in contention in their Ranji Trophy 2018-19 semi-final, as Saurashtra ended the second day on 227 for 7, trailing by 48 runs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Karnataka looked down for the count when Cheteshwar Pujara and Snell Patel were putting on a substantial stand for the third wicket, with the home side already aggrieved because they thought they should have had Pujara when he had scored just 1, only for a caught-behind appeal to be negated by umpire Saiyed Khalid.
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But Ronit More, who has been Karnataka’s best bowler this season, bowled with unflagging intensity throughout to take 5 for 54, while Abhimanyu Mithun eventually snared Pujara after being denied once.
Their efforts meant Karnataka ended the day holding the upper hand, especially given that Saurashtra will have to bat last.
Saurashtra seemed well placed for large parts of the day, but More’s burst of three wickets in the last half hour tilted the scales back in Karnataka’s favour.
Saurashtra had begun well, bowling Karnataka out for the addition of only 11 runs as More’s resistance was ended by Dharmandrasinh Jadeja. S Sharath stayed not out on 83.
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Snell began confidently, taking the attacking option when he could, and though More got both Harvik Desai and Vishwaraj Jadeja poking outside off, Karnataka knew that their biggest obstacle would be Pujara.
Vishwaraj Jadeja had fallen off the last ball before lunch – Karnataka would get a wicket off the last ball before tea and one to signal stumps later on – which meant Pujara joined Snell for the second session. Both More and Mithun turned up with renewed fire, and beat the batsmen often. It didn’t lead to a wicket though, and once Pujara was past the initially uncertain phase, he seemed set. At the other end, Snell had reached a confident fifty, but he was caught down the leg side off the last ball before tea. It was a rank bad ball from Shreyas Gopal, and Snell’s disappointment at being out for 85 rather than still batting on 89 showed.
When Mithun came back post tea to get Pujara, Karnataka sensed an opening. More turned that window into a full-blown breach, as Sheldon Jackson, Prerak Mankad and Kamlesh Makvana were all caught behind in the space of 3.3 overs.
Mankad was unfortunate to be sent on his way, but Jackson played an uncharacteristic poke away from his body. He had looked very composed during his 46, but More’s tight lines drew the error.
With only three wickets standing, Saurashtra’s hopes of a substantial first-innings lead appear slim, while Karnataka will be aware that if they can string together one good batting performance, they’ll be in a position to control the match.