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Thursday, Dec 13, 2007
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Thrilling win for Saurashtra

Special Correspondent

MYSORE: Saurashtra snatched a thrilling three-run win over Karnataka in a Ranji Trophy Super League match at the Gangothri Glades Ground here on Wednesday.

Chasing a target of 265 in 63 overs, Karnataka failed to fire from the front and the late surge was just not good enough and was dismissed for 261, with just two balls remaining.

The chase began after tea with Sunil Joshi, promoted to number five, leading the way and was joined later by the talented C. Raghu, who scored a heroic 77, but fell when 16 needed off 18 balls. Captain Yere Goud just did not have it in him to take the attack on his own as wickets tumbled at the other end. With six runs needed off the last over, last man Appanna and Yere Goud took a single each before Appanna failed to keep a rising ball down and only managed to give a tame return catch to medium pacer Sandeep Jobanputra. Saurashtra’s joy knew no bounds as the players hugged and celebrated a dramatic victory.

Top order fails

Karnataka had to blame its own top order for the defeat. Robin Uthappa on whom much depended was once again out to a poor shot and both Bharath Chipli and Sudhindra Shinde perished needlessly. Eight overs before lunch produced just 18 runs for the loss of first innings century maker K.B. Pawan and then three wickets fell without much ado.

Joshi and Raghu did put on 81 runs for the fifth wicket before Joshi was out, caught behind off Jobanputra. Vinay Kumar slashed around for 24 and then Thilak Naidu ran himself out to cause panic in the Karnataka camp. Raghu’s dismissal gave Saurashtra the whiff of victory and in the final analysis the better team over the last four days won.

In the morning, Firoz Bambhania (46) and Sandeep Jobanputra (54) denied Karnataka early success and in the process not only added valuable runs (74 runs for the ninth wicket) but consumed time as well, before both fell in quick succession.

Saurashtra with this morale-boosting win has 15 points now after five rounds while Karnataka remains on nine points.

The scores:

Saurashtra — 1st innings: 245.

Karnataka — 1st innings: 226.

Saurashtra — 2nd innings: K. Vaghela c T. Naidu b Vinay Kumar 34, S. Jogiani c T. Naidu b Vinay Kumar 7, S. Kotak c Uthappa b Aiyappa 26, C. Pujara b Joshi 22, F. Bambania c Uthappa b Appanna 46, R. Jadeja c T. Naidu b Aiyappa 0, J. Shah c T. Naidu b Appanna 12, R. Dhruve c Raghu b Joshi 19, K. Makwana c T. Naidu b Aiyappa 7, S. Jobanputra c Shinde b Aiyappa 54, S. Maniar (not out) 1, Extras (b-7, lb-5, w-5 ): 17; Total (in 109.1 overs) 245.

Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-59, 3-81, 4-95, 5-110, 6-116, 7-141; 8-167, 9-241.

Karnataka bowling: Vinay Kumar 31-10-64-2; Aiyappa 19.1-3-87-4; Joshi 32-11-46-2; Appanna 27-10-36-2.

Karnataka — 2nd innings: K.B. Pawan c Makwana b Jobanputra 4, R. Uthappa c S. Jogiani b Maniar 14, B. Chipli c Jogiani b Vaghela 28, S. Shinde c Dhruve b Vaghela 21, S. Joshi c Jogiani b Jobanputra 42, C. Raghu c Jogiani b Maniar 77, Vinay Kumar c Jadeja b Maniar 24, T. Naidu (run out) 9, Y. Goud (not out) 24, N.C. Aiyappa c Jadeja b Maniar 0, K.P. Appanna c & b Jobanputra 3, Extras (b-3; lb-7; nb-1, w-4): 15; Total (in 62.4 overs) 261.

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-34; 3-64; 4-71; 5-152; 6-199; 7-218; 8-249; 9-249.

Saurashtra bowling: Jobanputra 19.4-3-74-3, Maniar 15-2-54-4, Jadeja 13-1-60-0, Vaghela 6-0-23-2, Dhruve 6-0-21-0, Kotak 3-0-19-0.

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