Date:13/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/13/stories/2008111356822000.htm

Sport - Cricket

Tamil Nadu in command

Special Correspondent

— Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

CELEBRATION TIME: Tamil Nadu’s C. Suresh (second from left) is congratulated by his teammates after accounting for Ganesh Satish of Karnataka.

BANGALORE: Tamil Nadu eased its way into a commanding position on the third day of the Ranji Trophy super league Group ‘B’ match against host Karnataka at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium here on Wednesday.

Tamil Nadu, with some disciplined effort with incisive bowling and good ground fielding, dismissed Karnataka for 267 thus gaining a 264-run first innings lead and then enforced the follow-on. Karnataka was 48 for no loss in its second innings at stumps.

Gritty knock

Middle-order batsman C. Raghu notched up a gritty 76 (215b, 8x4) and shared two fruitful partnerships. The first was a 68-run third wicket stand with Ganesh Satish (44, 108b, 7x4) and then 61 runs with for the fifth wicket with Thilak Naidu (41, 63b, 7x4).

Raghu hung on till the end, before miscuing a late cut and was taken at first slip by S. Badrinath off left arm-spinner C. Suresh. Barring Satish and Naidu, others failed to support Raghu as wickets fell at regular intervals.

The ailing Karnataka skipper Robin Uthappa, who came to the crease with his team in trouble at 227 for five after the dismissal of Naidu, did not last long as he was sent back leg-before by R. Ashwin for a duck. Then it was just a matter of time before the Karnataka tail crumbled.

C. Suresh was the main wicket-taker with a haul of four wickets, while Ashwin and L. Balaji shared three wickets apiece.

The scores:

Tamil Nadu — 1st Innings: 531.

Karnataka — 1st Innings: K.B. Pawan c Karthik b Balaji 25, B. Chipli lbw b C. Suresh 26, G. Satish c Badrinath b C. Suresh 44, C. Raghu c Badrinath b C. Suresh 76, M. Pandey lbw b Balaji 8, V. Thilak Naidu lbw b Ashwin 41, R. Uthappa lbw b Ashwin 0, S. Raju c Balaji b Ashwin 0, R. Vinay Kumar c Balaji b C. Suresh 18, S. Joshi lbw b Balaji 2; N. Vinu (not out) 0; Extras (b-14, lb-3, nb-10) 27; Total (in 100.2 overs): 267.

Fall of wickets: 1-51, 2-87, 3-155, 4-166, 5-227, 6-227, 7-227, 8-262, 9-267.

Tamil Nadu bowling: Balaji 18.2-7-46-3, Ganapathy 14-4-37-0, Yomahesh 11-1-42-0, Ashwin 28-9-63-3, C. Suresh 27-11-58-4, Suresh Kumar 1-0-4-0, Vidyut 1-1-0-0.

Karnataka — 2nd innings: K.B. Pawan (batting) 14, B. Chipli (batting) 23; Extras (b-8, nb-3) 11. Total (for no loss in 14 overs): 48.

Tamil Nadu bowling: Balaji 3-0-9-0, Ashwin 5-2-13-0, C. Suresh 4-2-2-0, Vidyut 1-0-6-0, Yomahesh 1-0-10-0.