Ranji Trophy: Saurashtra beats Karnataka by 4 wickets to arrange last towards Bengal

Saurashtra entered its fifth Ranji Trophy last – third in 4 editions – with a nervy four-wicket victory over Karnataka on the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium right here on Sunday. Saurashtra will meet Bengal in a repeat of the 2019-20 last that the previous received.

For a fleeting hour, Karnataka threatened to flip the script and make its first Ranji last for the reason that 2014-15 season. After setting a paltry 115-run goal, it diminished the guests to 42 for 5, with the seasoned Sheldon Jackson again within the pavilion too.

Speedster V. Koushik eliminated openers Harvik Desai and Snell Patel throughout a high-quality first spell (8-1-20-2) earlier than offie Okay. Gowtham set off a commotion by dismissing three batters in 11 balls.

The 34-year-old exploited the tough outdoors the right-hander’s off-stump, bowling a stifling line from over the wicket and permitting the pitch to do the remaining. Jackson, Vishvarajsinh Jadeja and Chirag Jani have been all trapped leg-before by deliveries that stored low.

But Saurashtra confirmed it had many aces up its sleeve by selling southpaw Chetan Sakariya to exit and banish the seeping pessimism. This he did by planting his foot throughout and smashing Gowtham for 2 sixes over deep mid-wicket and reserved the identical therapy for leggie Shreyas Gopal a bit later.

It harm that Gowtham (15-3-38-3) had no assist. Skipper Arpit Vasavada (47 n.o., 51b, 7×4) hit V. Vyshak for 3 pressure-relieving fours after which collected two boundaries off Shreyas.

With 15 runs wanted, R. Samarth dropped Sakariya at short-leg. Manish Pandey’s horror present continued as he fluffed a straightforward probability off Vasavada at short-cover. While all of this may increasingly make it seem to be Karnataka was mighty shut, when the mud settles, it is going to be evident that the match was misplaced within the first innings.

In the morning, the younger Nikin Jose tried his greatest to assist Karnataka set a difficult goal by scoring his maiden First Class century (109, 161b, 9×4). Though he was reprieved thrice and was seemingly helped by a dodgy run-out name by the third umpire, he confirmed sufficient grit and dedication.

But even his greatest efforts couldn’t forestall Karnataka from dropping a fourth Ranji semifinal in 5 editions.