Karnataka skipper Mayank Agarwal scored 80 on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy game against Maharashtra in Pune on Saturday.
Credit: DH FILE PHOTO
Bengaluru: In a see-saw battle where the pendulum swung from one side to the other, honours were even at the end of the first day's play in Karnataka’s fourth Elite Group B fixture against Maharashtra at the MCA Cricket Ground at Guhanje in Pune on Saturday.
Maharashtra's 38-year-old off-spinner Jalaj Saxena picked up a three-wicket haul, while Vicky Otswal (1/50) and Ramakrishna Ghosh (1/33) combined to reduce Karnataka to 257 for five in 89 overs as the defiant Mayank Agarwal (80, 181b, 7x4, 2x6) headlined the visitors’ fight.
Maharashtra were solid with the ball for most parts but failed to pick a wicket in the last 27.9 overs before the close as a stubborn Shreyas Gopal (32 n.o., 80b, 3x4) and Abhinav Manohar (31 n.o., 102b, 2x6) built an unbeaten 63-run partnership off 167 balls, restoring parity for the visitors from a precarious 194 for five.
Earlier in the day, Karnataka made two changes following their thumping win over Kerala, bringing in all-rounder M Venkatesh and Abhilash Shetty for Shikhar Shetty and Vyshak Vijaykumar.
Electing to bat, Karnataka got off to a brisk start with Aneesh KV (34) smashing four fours and a six, along with Agarwal, who registered his second half-century of the season. The duo stitched a 66-run opening partnership.
Kerala, then struck a few blows in quick succession as they stemmed the run flow. Saxena trapped Aneesh in front to give the visitors their first breakthrough and then cleaned up KL Shrijith (10, 15b, 2x4) to reduce Karnataka to 82 for 2 in 23 overs.
Shrijith, who hit form in the last game with a fluent fifty, had to make the long walk back in the 23rd over.
Karnataka endured another blow in the form of the in-form Karun Nair (4, 14b), who was dismissed five overs later with Ghosh hitting the timber.
The visitors held the upper hand at 188 for three as Agarwal and Smaran (54, 84b, 7x4) were motoring along smoothly, having stitched a 99-run partnership off 176 balls. Maharashtra, however, fought back to reduce them to 194 for five, not letting Karnataka run away with the honours.