Karnataka left its hopes of qualification for the knock-out stages of the Vijay Hazare Trophy in peril with a seven-wicket defeat to Baroda at the Just Cricket Ground near Bengaluru on Wednesday. It was the defending champion’s third defeat in four matches. With just two points on board and only four games remaining, Karnataka’s task is herculean.
Baroda was rarely troubled during its chase, reaching the rain-reduced target of 227 runs (47 overs) with 21 balls to spare. Kedar Devdhar scored a fine century (123, 128b, 11x4, 2x6) and the 125-run third-wicket partnership he stitched together with Deepak Hooda (55, 66b, 1x4, 2x6) sealed Baroda’s second win of the campaign.
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Vijay Hazare: As it happened
The Karnataka bowlers were pedestrian at best and Devdhar and Hooda duly capitalised. The former started confidently – first with a cut that neatly bisected the point and gully fielders and then an excellent leg glance. It was indicative of the kind of form he was in after having made 46 and 39 in his previous two innings.
Only that this time around he seemed intent on getting a big score. Alongside Hooda, he milked the home attack bringing up his half-century in 57 balls and the hundred 56 balls later. Hooda, who was dropped on 12 by M.G. Naveen, too played a subdued knock, but with two big sixes over mid-wicket he did showcase his natural style.
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Earlier, Karnataka, which was put into bat, was propped up by a century by R. Samarth (102, 125b, 8x4). He came in to bat after opener Abhishek Reddy was caught behind for a two-ball duck in the very first over and was the last man dismissed. But for Mayank Agarwal (34, 40b) and Karun Nair (37, 55b), he didn’t get much support.
The Baroda bowlers, led by Atit Sheth (9-0-42-4) bowled a stifling line, making boundaries hard to come by. Not until the No. 8 batsman K. Gowtham came in, was there an earnest attempt to up the scoring rate. He clubbed a six and two fours in quick succession much to the delight of the sparse but vocal crowd.
But once he fell in the 46th over, Karnataka scored only 24 runs off the next 28 balls with just a solitary boundary off a misfield.
The scores:
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