Ranji Trophy 2023-24, Day 3: Karnataka bundled out for 151 in second innings as Tripura in driver’s seat

Karnataka’s batting in the second innings came undone yet again as it was bundled out for 151 on day three of its Ranji Trophy Group-C match against Tripura at the Maharaja Bir Bikram College Stadium on Sunday.

Tripura captain Mura Singh in action. | Photo Credit: PRASHANT NAKWE

Karnataka’s batting in the second innings came undone yet again as it was bundled out for 151 on day three of its Ranji Trophy Group-C match against Tripura at the Maharaja Bir Bikram College Stadium here on Sunday.

Karnataka secured a first-innings lead of 41 after dismissing the last of the Tripura batters, Abhijit Sarkar, for just two runs to the overnight total of 198. But the speed duo of Mura Singh (3/29) and Rana Datta (3/39) sliced through Karnataka as the away side lasted just 51.3 overs.

At stumps, the host was 59 for three in pursuit of a 193-run target, with the experienced duo of Sudip Chatterjee (26 batting) and Ganesh Satish (three batting) carrying their outfit’s hopes of a famous victory.

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Like in the first essay, the visitors’ top order failed again. R. Samarth, Nikin Jose and debutant K.V. Aneesh were out for single-digit scores for the second time running as Karnataka slumped to 28 for four.

Only debutant Kishan S. Bedare and wicket-keeper bat Sharath Srinivas showed the stomach for a fight. The former made 42 (59b, 8x4) to go with his half-century in the first innings (62), while the latter made yet another important contribution by scoring 48 (99b, 6x4) to add to the 76 and 49 he came up with against Punjab and Goa respectively.

Kishan and Sharath combined for 32 runs for the sixth wicket, but the former’s dismissal with just 84 on the board meant Karnataka was still in a precarious position. But Sharath then partnered with V. Vyshak (22, 36b, 2x4) for a 47-run association for the seventh wicket to stabilise things.

Sharath was the last man out, and it will be clear on Monday if he has done enough to carry his team home.

The scores:

Karnataka - 1st innings: 241.

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 (not out) 57, Mura Singh c Sharath b Koushik 39, Parvez Sultan c Sharath b Kaverappa 0, Rana Datta c Kishan b Vyshak 4, Abhijit Sarkar b Kaverappa 7.

Extras (lb-2, w-1, nb-6): 9; Total (in 80.5 overs): 200.

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

Karnataka bowling: Kaverappa 21.5-8-40-3, Koushik 20-7-34-4, Vyshak 19-4-64-2, Hardik 12-2-43-1, Shashikumar 8-2-17-0.

Karnataka - 2nd innings: R. Samarth c sub b Datta 0, Mayank Agarwal b Datta 17, K.V. Aneesh c sub b Mura Singh 2, Nikin Jose c sub b Mura Singh 4, Kishan S. Bedare c sub b Debnath 42, Hardik Raj c sub b Datta 10, Sharath Srinivas lbw b Sultan 48, V. Vyshak b Sarkar 22, K. Shashikumar lbw b Sultan 0, Vidwath Kaverappa b Mura Singh 5, V. Koushik (not out) 0.

Extras (lb-1): 1; Total (in 51.3 overs): 151.

Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-18, 3-24, 4-28, 5-52, 6-84, 7-131, 8-136, 9-151.

Tripura bowling: Mura Singh 14-3-29-3, Datta 12-1-39-3, Sarkar 12-1-36-1, Debnath 7-0-33-1, Sultan 6.3-0-13-2.

Tripura - 2nd innings: Bishal Ghosh lbw b Koushik 5, Bikram Kumar Das lbw b Kaverappa 2, Sridam Paul c Sharath b Vyshak 21, Sudip Chatterjee (batting) 26, Ganesh Satish (batting) 3.

Extras (nb-2): 2; Total (for three wkts. in 24 overs): 59.

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-14, 3-50.

Karnataka bowling: Kaverappa 9-3-15-1, Koushik 7-2-21-1, Vyshak 6-2-13-1, Kishan 1-0-9-0, Shashikumar 1-0-1-0.