Date:24/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/24/stories/2008112452921800.htm

Sport - Cricket

Baroda skittled out for 169

Special Correspondent

Karnataka was 63 for three at close
Karnataka’s Sunil N. Raju claimed four wickets

— Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

GOTCHA: Baroda’s Shatrunjay Gaekwad has no clue of this one from Karnataka’s Sunil Raju (unseen) in Bangalore on Sunday.

BANGALORE: On a day when runs came at a premium, Baroda was skittled out for 169 in 55.5 overs, but struck back to rattle the host Karnataka to 63 for three in 16.1 overs at close, with showers curtailing the fag end of the opening day’s play in the Ranji Trophy super league Group ‘B’ cricket match at the RSI grounds, here on Sunday.

Opting to bat, Baroda kept losing wickets at regular intervals and barring a defiant 53 by Rakesh Solanki (108b, 7x4) and opener Satyajit Parab 33 (41b, 6x4), the rest of the Baroda batsmen fell cheaply. Solanki’s dismissal at 116 signalled the end of Baroda’s resistance despite an unbeaten 26 by Utkarsh Patel.

Inspired spell

Left-arm spinner Sunil N. Raju, making a come back to the Karnataka squad after being benched for the last tie against Andhra, came up with an inspired spell to claim four wickets for 30 runs, while Sunil Joshi took two wickets.

Karnataka’s hopes of seizing the initiative with a strong start was dashed when it lost both openers K.B. Pawan (3) and Robin Uthappa (4) with just 14 on the board.

And when Manish Pandey (12) too followed suit with the total at 24, it was left to veteran Rahul Dravid 27 not out (32b, 5x4) and C. Raghu (16 not out) to steady the innings with an unbroken 39-run fourth-wicket partnership.

An intriguing second day’s play is very much on cards on Monday.

The scores: Baroda — 1st innings: Connor Williams b Vinay 0, Satyajit Parab c & b Akhil 33, Azhar Bilakhia c Naidu b Aiyappa 5, Rakesh Solanki c Pawan b Raju 53, Pinal Shah c Pandey b Joshi 7, Shatrunjay Gaekwad b Raju 19, Ketan Panchal c Naidu b Raju 0, Rajesh Pawar c & b Raghu 1, Utkarsh Patel (not out) 26, Ajitesh Argal c Pandey b Joshi 5, Salim Veragi st Naidu b Raju 10, extras (b-10): 10; Total (in 55.5 overs): 169.

Fall of wickets: 1-16 , 2-21, 3-60, 4-82, 5-116, 6-116, 7-121, 8-129, 9-146.

Karnataka bowling: Vinay Kumar 14-3-37-1, Aiyappa 10-1-44-1, Akhil 7-2-18-1, Joshi 14-6-30-2, Raju 8.5-3-30-4, Raghu 2-2-0-1.

Karnataka — 1st Innings: K.B. Pawan lbw b Argal 3, Robin Uthappa c Solanki b Argal 4, Manish Pandey c Shah b Veragi 12, Rahul Dravid (batting) 27, C. Raghu (batting) 16, extras (nb-1): 1; Total (for three wkts. in 16.1 overs): 63.

Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-14, 3-24.

Baroda bowling: Salim Veragi 7-0-29-1, Ajitesh Argal 6-0-26-2, Rajesh Pawar 2-0-4-0, Ketan Panchal 1.1-0-4-0.