Honours were even between Karnataka and Saurashtra on day two of their Ranji Trophy match at the Alur Grounds near here on Monday.
From an overnight 281 for eight, Karnataka finished on 342, with Manvanth Kumar completing his maiden First Class century (135, 214b, 11x4, 6x6).
Saurashtra began its reply strongly as Hetvik Kotak (46, 127b, 5x4) and Harvik Desai (77, 78b, 11x4, 1x6) put on 110 for the opening wicket.
But the hosts pulled things back either side of tea, reducing Saurashtra to 128 for four. Arpit Vasavada (25 batting) and Prerak Mankad (13 batting) kept vigil for a little over 13 overs to help their side close at 164 for four. But the visitors are still 178 runs in the red.
Setback for Kaverappa
For Karnataka, a source of worry will be the fitness of pacer Vidwath Kaverappa as he limped off holding his right calf while bowling his 13th over. The 27-year-old had just returned after recovering from a left ankle injury sustained in the Duleep Trophy a month and a half ago.
On the day, it was the short-ball ploy that worked well for Karnataka, with Harvik, Gohil and Hetvik all falling prey. Chirag Jani was the other batter to be dismissed, playing on to a delivery from Abhilash Shetty.
Kaverappa precipitated the fall, forcing Harvik to attempt an ill-advised pull and having him caught by wicket-keeper K.L. Shrijith. Until then, the 27-year-old had played a chanceless knock, replete with pleasing drives and cuts. The six he hit off Karnataka captain Shreyas Gopal went out of the ground.
Lethal spell
Abhilash then accounted for Jani and Gohil in a seven-over spell that cost just 16 runs. The latter’s catch by Manvanth at the fine-leg boundary was stunning as he reached high for the ball, lobbed it up, skipped over the rope and came back in time to catch it again.
V. Vyshak excised the dogged Hetvik, with the batter’s hook landing in Aneeshwar Gautam’s safe palms at fine-leg. That wicket would have brought a sigh of relief, for Hetvik was grassed by Mayank Agarwal at gully off Manvanth when on 39.
Earlier in the morning, Manvanth got to a deserved hundred from 147 balls with a boundary to the third-man fence. The 22-year-old southpaw was reprieved on 94 by ‘keeper Harvik, but fortune, more often than not, favours the brave.
Manvanth was eventually caught off left-arm spinner Parth Bhut by the deep mid-wicket fielder running in, but not before giving Karnataka a solid footing in the contest.
Scoreboard
Karnataka:
1st innings: Rohan Patil lbw b Unadkat 6, Mayank Agarwal lbw b Unadkat 42, V. Vyshak b Sakariya 1, K.V. Aneesh c Harvik b Sakariya 59, Karun Nair c Kotak b Bhut 46, Aneeshwar Gautam c Harvik b Unadkat 4, K.L. Shrijith lbw b Bhut 21, Shreyas Gopal c Gajjar b Bhut 3, Manvanth Kumar c sub b Bhut 135, Abhilash Shetty (not out) 14, Vidwath Kaverappa c Sakariya b Bhut 1; Extras (lb-9, w-1): 10; Total (in 111.3 overs): 342.
Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-13, 3-111, 4-131, 5-140, 6-183, 7-187, 8-194, 9-340.
Saurashtra bowling: Unadkat 24-3-61-3, Sakariya 23-3-67-2, Panwar 11-2-32-0, Jani 8-0-45-0, Bhut 28.3-4-89-5, Prerak 15-6-30-0, Gajjar 2-0-9-0.
Saurashtra:
ranji1st innings: Hetvik Kotak c Aneeshwar b Vyshak 46, Harvik Desai c Shrijith Kaverappa 77, Chirag Jani b Abhilash 1, Jay Gohil c Manvanth b Abhilash 0, Arpit Vasavada (batting) 25, Prerak Mankad (batting) 13; Extras (w-2): 2; Total (for four wkts. in 53 overs): 164.
Fall of wickets: 1-110, 2-113, 3-115, 4-128.
Karnataka bowling: Kaverappa 12.1-4-31-1, Vyshak 11-2-47-1, Abhilash 12.5-3-26-2, Manvanth 9-1-29-0, Shreyas 7-0-26-0, Karun 1-0-5-0.