Debutant batter Kishan S. Bedare (62, 121b, 9x4), skipper Mayank Agarwal (51, 100b, 10x4) and pacer V. Vyshak (50 batting, 61b, 7x4) saved Karnataka the blushes on day one of its Ranji Trophy Group-C match against Tripura at the Maharaja Bir Bikram College Stadium in Agartala on Friday.
A new-look Karnataka side that had as many as four first-timers — Kishan (25 years), batter K.V. Aneesh (22), all-rounder Hardik Raj (17) and off-spinner K. Shashikumar (21) — found itself at 16 for three after being asked to bat first.
Speedster Rana Datta sent back the seasoned R. Samarth — who returned in place of the injured D. Nischal — and K.V. Aneesh, with the former caught behind and the latter bowled. Fellow speed merchant Mura Singh accounted for vice-captain Nikin Jose to leave the visitors reeling.
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However, captain Mayank and Kishan dug their heels in and combined for an 87-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Kishan then put together another half-century stand (50) with wicket-keeper Sharath Srinivas (25, 78b, 4x4) for the fifth wicket to get Karnataka back on track.
But from 153 for four, Karnataka slumped to 164 for seven, with Kishan, Sharath and Hardik back in the hut. Fast bowler Vyshak, however, ensured that the good work done by Mayank, Kishan and Sharath wouldn’t go in vain by scoring his maiden First Class fifty.
With Shashikumar — who came in for left-arm spinner Rohit Kumar — Vyshak put on 60 valuable runs to lend the Karnataka total more than a shade of respectability.
Also on the day, amid fears that playing time will be curtailed because of foggy weather, conditions in the Tripura capital held up pretty well. But for the 45-minute delay at the start — which was compensated for late in the afternoon — a full day’s cricket was possible.
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