Karnataka’s bowlers, led by V. Koushik, provided their side with the perfect platform for a much-needed outright win by skittling Uttar Pradesh (UP) for 89, before the batters huffed and puffed to take a 38-run first-innings lead on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy Group ‘C’ contest at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium here.
A thick early morning haze enveloped the venue and UP’s batters couldn’t shake it off as seamers Koushik and Vidyadhar Patil reduced the host to five for three inside the first five overs on a pitch with live grass.
Vidyadhar drew first blood, knocking Abhishek Goswami’s leg-stump with one that tailed into him. Koushik continued his rich vein of form, inducing Madhav Kaushik’s outside edge with extra bounce before castling skipper Aryan Juyal, and just like that UP’s top run-scorers this season were back in the hut off consecutive deliveries.
A 21-run stand between debutants Rituraj Sharma and Aaditya Sharma could only keep the pacers at bay for a while as the latter was strangled down the leg but didn’t seem too pleased with the umpire’s decision.
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Debutant fast bowler Yashovardhan Parantap missed his lines initially, but joined the party when Rituraj got an outside edge to the slip cordon trying to defend one that angled in from around the wicket.
Koushik completed his fifer with Sameer Rizvi edging behind attempting for an expansive drive as the lower-order hardly offered any resistance.
Karnataka was threatened with a similar fate, but debutant Krishnan Shrijith struck a composed knock under pressure after Aaqib Khan trapped Nikin Jose and R. Smaran in front in the second over.
He added 48 runs with skipper Mayank Agarwal and held firm amidst some poor shot-making, which included Manish Pandey tamely poking in the channel to be caught behind.
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