Karnataka rode on Aniruddha Joshi’s all-round showing and Pavan Deshpande’s excellent half-century to beat Services by four wickets in a Group D match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy at the Jadavpur University ground here on Sunday.
Karnataka restricted Services to 231-7 and recorded its second consecutive win with about six overs to spare.
Gritty performances by middle and lower order batsmen rescued Services, which was tottering at 114 for six in the 32nd over after being asked to bat.
Karnakata seamers extracted good purchase from the pitch and M. Prasidh again provided early breakthroughs by scalping Nakul Verma and Amit Pachhara.
Abhijeet Salvi (30 off 55 balls, 4x4) and Shamsher Yadav (37 off 57, 4x4) added 54 runs before the former was stumped in the bowling of off-spinner Aniruddha, who replaced an unfit K. Gowtham, in the 21st over.
Karnataka mounted pressure by picking up three more wickets, including Aniruddha's second, but suffered a bit due its fielding lapses.
Suraj Yadav (44 not out off 51, 4x4, 1x6) and Diwesh Pathania (49 off 59, 5x4, 1x6), dropped by Anirudha at deep midwicket off J. Suchith early in his innings, formed an 82-run partnership – featuring discreet stroke play and smart running between wickets –to guide Services to a respectable aggregate.
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Suraj and Diwesh shared the new ball to torment Karnataka again. Suraj claimed two wickets, Mayank Agarwal and R. Samarth, with only three runs on the board.
Robin Uthappa curbed Services pacers’ spirited effort before launching a massive assault, cracking nine fours and one six, predominantly on the leg side, to score a 43-ball 51 and put up 76 runs with Manish (23 off 43).
Uthappa hit Vipin Singh to long-on fence to reach his half-century. He was bowled in his attempt to steer the left-arm spinner in the same over. Soon, Manish fell to Poonam Poonia and Karnataka was in trouble at 81 for four.
Deshpande, who got a ‘life’ on 41, showed good temperament to add 49 with Stuart Binny (4) and 48 with Aniruddha. The southpaw played a few handsome drives and cuts among his seven hits to the ropes.
When Karnataka needed 54 runs, Deshpande was run out. Nevertheless, Aniruddha (50 not out off 37, 5x4, 2x6) and Suchith (24 not out off 18, 4x4) unleashed some spectacular shots to achieve the target.
The scores: Services 231-7 (Diwesh Pathania 49, Suraj Yadav 44 not out, M. Prasidh 3-39) lost to Karnataka 232-6 in 44.1 overs (Pavan Deshpande 73, Robin Uthappa 51, Aniruddha Joshi 50 not out).
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