Karnataka pull off stunning victory

Ultimately, former champions Karnataka found the right men with the right temperament to bat for them and pulled off a stunning five-wicket victory.

Chasing 263, the highest score of the match, in the fourth innings on this two-paced, crumbling track was never going to be easy. And for long periods it looked like Andhra would effect their first-ever win over Karnataka in 45 encounters.

But the visitors choked at the threshold of history. Their bowling was lame duck, with only medium pacer Shahbuddin looking menacing. Their fielding, particularly the catching was awful and let down the bowlers time and again, and at crucial times. An over-bowled Shahbuddin finally resorted to bowling off a short run up and Andhra were a truly beaten side long before Dodda Ganesh arrived to wield the long handle with effect.

Overnight 189 for eight, Andhra were bundled out in the morning for 206, leaving Karnataka to make 263 for a win in two whole days.

But on this pitch where the top soil had crumbled and the bounce was variable, batting was anything but easy.

SCOREBOARD
Andhra: 195 & 206

Karnataka: 139 & 265 (Arunkumar 82, Somasunder 36, Thilak 71 n.o., Ganesh 30 n.o., Ranganath 3-63).

Vadodara make winning start

VADODARA: With Tushar Arothe leading from the front, Vadodara outplayed Maharashtra to win by 102 runs the first match of the West Zone Ranji one-day series, rechristianed as the Ramakant Desai Trophy, at the Motibaug ground here on Friday.

Aided by a late surge by skipper Arothe, Vadodara, at one stage in danger of not touching the 200-run mark, finished with 238 on the board, and then some brilliant bowling by the Vadodara medium pacers and off spinner Ajit Bhoite restricted Maharashtra, at one stage in danger of not touching the 100-run mark, to 136.

Earlier, Vadodara scored 54 runs in the last five overs after being 154 for 5 at the end of the 40th over.

Brief Scores: Vadodara: 238-8 (Connor Williams 49, Tushar Arothe 79 n.o., Iqbal Siddiqui 3-31) bt Maharashtra: 136 (Iqbal Siddiqui 44 n.o.)

Gujarat beat Saurashtra

VADODARA: Gujarat announced that they would be a threat in the Ramakant Desai West Zone one-day tournament as they defeated Saurastra by 24 runs in the opening one-dayer.

Put in to bat, Gujarat set Saurashtra a victory target of 218 — which seemed quiet achievable. But medium pacer Latil Patel of Gujarat struck, bowling out three important players — including skipper Sitanshu Kotak.

However, Hitesh Prasanna and Sudip Mehta made an important partnership of 64 runs — raising a glimmer of hope for their team. Hitesh made 39 runs facing 62 balls — smashing three boundaries. But the dismissal of Sudip Mehta (42) in the 47th over, with the target still 24 runs away, swung the game back towards Gujarat.

In the same over Rajesh Garsondia ran himself out, handing the match to Gujarat.

Brief Scores: Gujarat: 218 (Amrish Kotecha 42, Kirat Damani 45, Bhavin Mehta 38, Niraj Odedara 4-50) bt Saurashtra: 194 (Sudhir Tanna 24, Hitesh Parsanna 39, Lalit Patel 3-35).

Innings win for Kerala

KOCHI: Splendid medium pace bowling by MP Manu (7-52) enabled Kerala defeat Goa by an innings and 140 runs in their South zone under-14 cricket tournament at Thalassery on Friday.

Manu had earlier taken 5 for 44 in the first innings to return with an impressive match figures of 12-96.

Brief Scores: Goa (1st innings) 118 (Manu 5-44, Robert Fernandes 4-38); Goa (2nd Inns) 163 (Manu 7-52 Robert 3-30) vs Kerala (1st Inns) 421-7 decl (Robert Fernandes 110, Sharath 82, Sajith 51 n.o.).

Hyderabad 268-5

HYDERABAD: A brilliant 128 by Nanda Kishore enabled hosts Hyderabad to pile up 268 for 5 in reply to Tamil Nadu’s mammoth total of 566 on the penultimate day of the four-day South zone Ranji match at NFC grounds here.

Resuming at 18 for no loss, Hyderabad struggled againstsome accurate bowling by S Sriram, who claimed three wickets for 51 runs.

However, Nanda Kishore’s knock of 128 including 18 foursalong with a useful 66 by Daniel Manohar enabled Hyderabad to coast to 268 for 5 at close.

Brief Scores: Tamil Nadu (1st Inns) 566; Hyderabad (1st Inns) 268-5 (Daniel Manohar 66, A Nandakishore 128, S Sriram 3-51)