Vijay Hazare Trophy: Gopal shines in Karnataka's rout of Andhra

Leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal spun a web around Andhra batsmen as the visitor folded up at 225, handing Karnataka a comfortable 53-run victory.

Andhra batsman failed to pick up Shreyas Gopal's leg-spin. (FILE IMAGE)

Karnataka dished out a clinical show as it beat Andhra Pradesh by 53 runs in its Elite Group A match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy here on Monday.

Put into bat at the Alur cricket stadium near here, Karnataka posted a respectable 278/7 on the board, riding on useful contributions from its frontline batsmen.

Later, its leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal (4-48) spun a web around Andhra batsmen as the visitor folded up at 225, handing the host a comfortable 53-run victory.

Karnataka openers K. L. Rahul (33) and Devdutt Padikkal (44) gave the side a brisk start, putting up 68 runs for the opening wicket.

Coming in at no. 3, Karun Nair (24) could not convert his start, but then it was skipper Manish Pandey, who rallied the innings after both Padikkal and Nair fell in quick succession.

Pandey (50) made a patient half-century in 56 balls, with a lone four and a six to his credit. It was then a quick-fire, unbeaten 45 from 38 balls by its wicket-keeper B. S. Sharath and a blazing 34 off 16 balls by K. Gowtham that ensured that the side went past the 275-run mark. The duo put up a crucial 60-run stand for the seventh wicket.

The chase was horrendous for Andhra as opener Ashwin Hebber was cleaned up by pacer M. Prasidh Krishna (3-40) for a duck.

Then opener and wicket-keeper K. S. Bharat (38), who is eyeing a spot in the national team, and one-down D. B. Prashanth Kumar (78 off 104 balls) added 70 runs for the second wicket.

However, Bharat was trapped in front by Gowtham and from there on the Andhra collapse began.

Siraj picked up four wickets in Hyderabad's win over Goa. Photo: Sudhakara Jain (File Image)

 

No batsman except Prashant Kumar showed a fight as the others meekly surrendered to Gopal. Eventually, Andhra innings folded up in 46.5 overs at 225.

Karnataka tops the Elite Group A and B with 16 points after the win, while Punjab (from B) stands second in the combined points table. Defending champion Mumbai is on the 12th spot and its chances of making to the play-offs appear bleak.

Meanwhile, Hyderabad defeated Goa by five wickets in another Elite Group A match, while Chhattisgarh, riding on slow left-arm orthodox bowler Sumit Ruikar’s five-wicket haul, trounced Saurashtra by 65 runs at the Alur cricket stadium 1 near here.