Gautam props up Karnataka
Visitors throw away good start, stumble to 238/6 on opening day
Caught on the most challenging surface of their Ranji Trophy campaign thus far, Karnataka’s top-order produced their most inept batting performance of the season at the Railway ground.
Fortunately for them, the only man that has not feasted on opposition bowling this year chose the most opportune moment to return to run-scoring ways, holding a sagging innings together on the opening day of their Group A fixture against a feisty Orissa side.
A playing surface of dubious quality – both the pace and the bounce were far from consistent, even if not alarmingly so – contributed a little to the visitors’ day one total of 238 for six, but if Karnataka’s batsmen introspect as they should, they will realise that they too played a significant role in an ungainly batting performance.
Had it not been for CM Gautam (63 n.o., 197m, 141b, 8x4), the wicketkeeper-batsman who came here low on confidence but stood tall amidst the ruins on Tuesday with a meticulously compiled unbeaten half-century, and his innings-retrieving stand of 85 (139m, 218b) for the sixth wicket with Amit Verma, Karnataka would have found themselves in an even deeper hole after the top-order had imploded.
Verma’s dismissal against the run of play, stumped by a mile optimistically charging part-time off-spinner Govind Podder, was reflective of the malaise that inexplicably gripped the Karnataka batting. Several batsmen got off to starts but Gautam apart, no one kicked on. Admittedly, it was the kind of surface where no batsman could ever feel ‘in’, but that was precisely the reason why circumspection rather than bravado ought to have been the order of the day.
Orissa knew they were on to a good thing when Halhadar Das won the toss and promptly stuck the opposition in. There was assistance for the bowlers but not liberally so, and through a combination of careful watchfulness and judicious enterprise, Robin Uthappa and KB Pawan got the visitors off to a positive start.
It helped that Basanta Mohanty, the most experienced Orissa paceman, was a little off-colour, but that should take nothing away from the attacking Uthappa and the solid Pawan, who realised 77 (74m, 107b) for the first wicket.
Mohanty and Santosh Jena didn’t make much impression, but things began to happen when the recalled Alok Mangaraj was brought on. Uthappa played a casual prod-cut away from his body and was bowled off the inside edge, while Pawan offered no stroke to a straightish delivery. Mangaraj had taken two for one in eight deliveries, and Karnataka were in some strife.
Skipper Ganesh Satish, edgy to start with, and Bharath Chipli briefly steadied the ship with an association of 42 when Mangaraj broke through, eliciting a loose stroke from the latter in the first over after lunch. Biplab Samantaray then accounted for Satish and Stuart Binny, chasing a wide one, inside the next 10 minutes. At 130 for five, the visitors were seriously looking down the barrel when Gautam walked out to join Verma.
Gautam has had a torrid time of it in front of and behind the stumps, but he put all that behind him, batting with assurance, authority and tremendous poise. Verma was only marginally less impressive as the pair began the repair job in right earnest, the lone moments of alarm emanating from patchy calling. With the bowling at their mercy, Verma threw his hand away, but Gautam and Sunil Raju negotiated the second new ball without being separated, and must lead the way on the morrow if Karnataka are to reach 300. At least.
Score Board
KARNATAKA (I Innings): Robin Uthappa b Mangaraj 37 (73m, 50b, 7x4), KB Pawan b Mangaraj 29 (87m, 64b, 6x4), Ganesh Satish lbw Samantaray 31 (87m, 55b, 4x4, 1x6), Bharath Chipli c Podder b Mangaraj 16 (69m, 49b, 3x4), Amit Verma st Das b Podder 39 (154m, 120b, 6x4), Stuart Binny c Das b Samantaray 0 (9m, 7b), CM Gautam (batting) 63 (197m, 141b, 8x4), Sunil Raju (batting) 8 (57m, 56b, 1x4). Extras (B-4, LB-9, NB-2) 15. Total (for 6 wkts, 90 overs) 238.
Fall of wickets: 1-77 (Uthappa), 2-82 (Pawan), 3-124 (Chipli), 4-130(Satish), 5-130 (Binny), 6-215 (Verma).
Bowling: Basanta Mohanty 23-7-42-0 (nb-2), Santosh Jena 11-3-32-0, Alok Mangaraj 19-8-66-3, Deepak Behera 6-3-15-0, Paresh Patel 13-3-38-0, Biplab Samantaray 15-6-22-2, Govind Podder 3-0-10-1.
