Ranji Trophy semifinal: Mayank’s double hundred powers Karnataka towards Saurashtra

An imperious double ton by Mayank Agarwal put Karnataka firmly in command of the Ranji Trophy semifinal towards Saurashtra on the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium right here on Thursday.

From an in a single day 110, the skipper completed on 249 (429b, 28×4, 5×6) to take the hosts’ whole to 407. If he had not been the final man to be dismissed – run out by Sheldon Jackson – he would have develop into solely the second Karnataka opener to have carried his bat within the competitors after Ok.L. Rahul (vs. Uttar Pradesh, 2013/14).

Where on day one he largely performed inside himself, trusting his defence and interspersing the knock with a couple of delectable hits to the fence, on day two he was at his expansive finest. The situations weren’t fairly dissimilar from Wednesday because the ball swung and seamed. Karnataka additionally misplaced three fast wickets within the morning and was diminished to 278 for eight.

Mayank farmed the strike in professional style, and but didn’t climb down from the upper gear he had shifted into. In the morning session, he confronted 100 balls, however collected 75 runs. There have been as many as 4 superbly pushed boundaries on the off-side, a wonderful short-arm pull and an impressive on-drive that he executed whilst he walked down the pitch.

Pace and spin have been handled with equal disdain. Pacer Prerak Mankad was flat-batted for a six after which deposited over long-off whereas left-arm spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja was despatched hovering over the straight boundary. This was classic Mayank, radiating star high quality, however he additionally oozed accountability. Of the 129 runs the final two partnerships fetched, he accounted for 113.

The 31-year-old finally fell trying a second run that will have given him his 250. But by then, Karnataka was clearly within the ascendency. Tail-ender Vidwath Kaverappa, who had caught round admirably with Mayank for 42 deliveries, burst again on to the sphere to give you a fiery show of his main ability.

Snell Patel and Vishvarajsinh Jadeja each shouldered arms and noticed their off-stump uprooted by balls that jagged again in. V. Koushik, from the opposite finish, bowled seven straight maidens and will have had the seasoned Jackson if R. Samarth had not dropped a sitter at first slip. But at 76 for 2, Saurashtra is barely out of the woods.

The scores:

Karnataka – 1st innings: R. Samarth c Kushang b Vishwarajsinh 3, Mayank Agarwal (run out) 249, Devdutt Padikkal c Jackson b Sakariya 9, Nikin Jose c Harvik b Kushang 18, Manish Pandey c Snell b Mankad 7, Shreyas Gopal (run out) 15, Sharath Srinivas lbw b Sakariya 66, Ok. Gowtham c Mankad b Jani 2, V. Vyshak b Kushang 6, Vidwath Kaverappa b Sakariya 15, V. Koushik (not out) 1.

Extras (b-5, lb-2, w-5, nb-4): 16; Total (in 133.3 overs): 407.

Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-21, 3-68, 4-79, 5-112, 6-251, 7-255, 8-278, 9-369.

Saurashtra bowling:

Sakariya 29-8-73-3, Kushang 26-1-109-3, Jani 25-5-63-1, Mankad 23-3-68-1, Dharmendrasinh 20-3-52-0, Bhut 10.3-1-35-0.

Saurashtra – 1st innings: Harvik Desai (batting) 27, Snell Patel b Kaverappa 0, Vishvarajsinh Jadeja b Kaverappa 22, Sheldon Jackson (batting) 27.

Total (for 2 wkts. in 30 overs): 76.

Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-40.

Karnataka bowling:

Kaverappa 11-3-24-2, Koushik 11-7-21-0, Vyshak 7-0-30-0, Gowtham 1-0-1-0.