Ranji Trophy 2023-24, Day 2: Karnataka on the verge of securing first-innings lead against Tripura

Karnataka on the verge of securing first-innings lead against Tripura in Ranji Trophy round four match at Agartala.

Karnataka’s bowler Koushik V during Ranji trophy cricket match. (File Photo) | Photo Credit: BHAGYA PRAKASH K

Karnataka ended day two of its Ranji Trophy Group-C match against Tripura on the cusp of securing the first-innings lead at the Maharaja Bir Bikram College Stadium in Agartala on Saturday. At stumps, the host was 198 for nine in pursuit of Karnataka’s 241.

The visitors started the morning at 241 for eight but were bundled out without any addition to the score. It took the seasoned Mura Singh just four balls to send back V. Vyshak (50, 64b. 7x4) and No.11 batter V. Koushik (0).

But Koushik (4/34) returned to rock the Tripura top-order by dismissing opener Bikram Kumar Das and one-drop Sridam Paul. When Vyshak had Sudip Chatterjee caught behind by Sharath Srinivas, the home side was reduced to 26 for three.

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It soon became 37 for four when Vidwath Kaverappa joined the party and took out former Karnataka batter Ganesh Satish.

However, opener Bishal Ghosh (44, 114b, 8x4) and skipper Wriddhiman Saha (28, 67b, 3x4, 1x6) started the rebuild with a 44-run association for the fifth wicket. Though Ghosh and Saha were eventually out in quick succession to leave Tripura at 96 for six, their effort was complemented well by Bikramjit Debnath and Mura Singh.

Debnath (57 batting, 131b, 7x4) and Mura Singh (39, 61b, 4x4) combined for a 76-run partnership to give Tripura an outside chance at scaling Karnataka’s total. But another mini collapse, triggered by Koushik’s scalp of Mura Singh, saw Tripura lose three wickets for 11 runs and shrink to 183 for nine.

Debnath is still at the crease, and it will be to his credit if he can drag Tripura past Karnataka.

The scores:

Karnataka - 1st innings: R. Samarth c Saha b Datta 1, Mayank Agarwal lbw b Debnath 51, K.V. Aneesh b Rana Datta 1, Nikin Jose b Mura Singh 4, Kishan S. Bedare c sub b Sarkar 62, Sharath Srinivas c Chatterjee b Sarkar 25, Hardik Raj lbw b Datta 9, V. Vyshak b Mura Singh 50, K. Shashikumar lbw b Mura Singh 19, Vidwath Kaverappa (not out) 4, V. Koushik b Mura Singh 0.

Extras (b-2, lb-13): 15; Total (in 78.4 overs): 241.

Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-11, 3-16, 4-103, 5-153, 6-164, 7-164, 8-224, 9-241.

Tripura bowling: Mura Singh 19.4-7-35-4, Datta 15-7-32-3, Sarkar 14-3-55-2, Debnath 13-3-50-1, Sultan 17-3-54-0.

Tripura - 1st innings: Bishal Ghosh lbw b Koushik 44, Bikram Kumar Das c Sharath b Koushik 4, Sridam Paul lbw b Koushik 1, Sudip Chatterjee c Sharath b Vyshak 1, Ganesh Satish c Sharath b Kaverappa 6, Wriddhiman Saha lbw b Hardik 28, Bikramjit Debnath (batting) 57, Mura Singh c Sharath b Koushik 39, Parvez Sultan c Sharath b Kaverappa 0, Rana Datta c Kishan b Vyshak 4, Abhijit Sarkar (batting) 5.

Extras (lb-2, w-1, nb-6): 9; Total (for nine wkts. in 79 overs): 198.

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-20, 3-26, 4-37, 5-81, 6-96, 7-172, 8-174, 9-183.

Karnataka bowling: Kaverappa 21-8-38-2, Koushik 19-6-34-4, Vyshak 19-4-64-2, Hardik 12-2-43-1, Shashikumar 8-2-17-0.