Sport - Cricket

Karnataka escapes with a draw against Railways

— Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

ON CLOUD NINE: Anurit Singh rocked Karnataka with a six-wicket haul.

Bangalore: A meandering draw bustled into a life as Karnataka lost wickets in a heap and Railways made a belated pursuit of a stiff target. In the end, Railways had to content with a 24-run first innings lead and the resultant three points, while Karnataka eked out a lone point after the Ranji Trophy super league Group ‘B’ match ended in a draw at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Thursday.

The fourth day’s morning session centred on Railways pursuit of the first innings lead which it notched up with ease as overnight centurion Yere Goud (122 n.o., 351b, 12x4, 3x6) maintained his vigil, while Harvinder Singh (22) swung his bat around.

Railways scored 389 and an academic final day’s play made slow progress until the Karnataka batsmen collapsed in the second innings.

Sanjib Sanyal scalped openers B. Chipli and K.B. Pawan. Immediately seamer Anurit Singh (six for 49) steamed in with some reverse swing, castled Ganesh Satish and Thilak Naidu and forced Robin Uthappa into popping up a catch.

Though C. Raghu (33 n.o.) held one end up, the tail never wagged and Karnataka was bundled out for 127.

Strangely Railways never showed urgency when the host batsmen wilted and left-arm spinner Murali Kartik bowled late in the day. Railways needed 104 from the day’s last nine overs but after scoring 11 for two in its second innings, opted for a draw.

Meanwhile, Railways’ Karan Sharma was fined 10 per cent of his match fee for excessive appealing.

The scores: Karnataka — 1st innings: 365.

Railways — 1st innings: A. Pagnis lbw b Raghu 28, S. Bangar (run out) 84, Karan lbw b Raghu 0, H. Rawle lbw b Raju 21, S. Sanyal lbw b Joshi 0, Yere Goud (not out) 122, M. Rawat b Raju 11, Raja Ali lbw b Vinay 52, Murali Kartik lbw b Aiyappa 11, Harvinder Singh b Vinay 22, Anurit Singh c Raghu b Vinay 1; Extras (b-19, lb-7, nb-9, w-2) 37. Total (in 155.5 overs): 389.

Fall of wickets: 1-60, 2-60, 3-109, 4-110, 5-185, 6-231, 7-340, 8-357, 9-383.

Karnataka bowling: Vinay 26.5-12-38-3, Aiyappa 15-4-45-1, Raju 48-9-125-2, Joshi 39-15-88-1, Raghu 27-7-67-2.

Karnataka — 2nd innings: K. Pawan lbw b Sanyal 22, B. Chipli lbw b Sanyal 19, G. Satish b Anurit 19, C. Raghu (not out) 33, M. Pandey lbw b Karan 0, Thilak Naidu b Anurit 0, R. Uthappa c Bangar b Anurit 0, S. Raju b Anurit 15, R. Vinay b Anurit 9, S. Joshi c sub (Parida) b Karan 5, N. Aiyappa c Sanyal b Anurit 0; Extras (b-1, lb-2, nb-2) 5. Total (in 57.1 overs): 127.

Fall of wickets: 1-36, 2-46, 3-75, 4-81, 5-86, 6-92, 7-110, 8-122, 9-127.

Railways bowling: Anurit 16.1-5-49-6, Bangar 8-1-13-0, Sanyal 9-3-17-2, Karan 17-5-35-2, Kartik 5-4-4-0, Rawle 2-0-6-0.

Railways — 2nd innings: S. Sanyal c Pandey b Aiyappa 5, A. Pagnis c Pawan b Vinay 0, Raja Ali (not out) 5, S. Bangar (not out) 0; Extras (lb-1) 1. Total (for two wkts. in four overs): 11.

Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-11.

Karnataka bowling: Vinay 2-0-7-1, Aiyappa 2-0-3-1.

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