Karnataka escape with draw

At the Chinnaswamy stadium on Monday, Karnataka had slipped to 28 for four, chasing 175 for victory, when Rahul (43, 96m, 58b, 6x4) amd Shishir Bhavane (30, 115m, 59b, 2x4) hauled them out of the woods with a stand of 58 (84m, 97b) for the fifth wicket.

Paceman Anand Sahoo did the early damage by firing out Suraj Sampath and Pawan Deshpande in his first spell, and then added the scalp of Rahul as well to finish with three for 42, but Karnataka eventually ended on 124 for seven from 31 oves when the match was called off.

Armed with a three-run first-innings advantage and 30 for two overnight in their second knock, Orissa had earlier been dismissed for 171 on the back of a patient 63 (175m, 126b, 6x4, 3x6) by Anurag Sarangi. The pace duo of Parappa Maradi (3/32) and P Maghizendan (3/46) was particularly threatening in the morning, to send Orissa hurtling to 98 for eight when the visitors launched a stirring rearguard action with Sarangi in the forefront.

After adding 47 for the ninth wicket with Amit Das, Sarangi realised a further 26 for the last with Soumendra Das before being last man dismissed, caught behind off Ronit More. By then, though, he had scored enough runs and occupied the crease long enough to baulk Karnataka.

Orissa picked up three points by virtue of their lead, while Karnataka had to remain content with one point.

Brief scores: 

Orissa: 331 all out and 171 all out in 59 overs (Govind Poddar 29, Anurag Sarangi 63; Ronit More 2-46, Parappa Maradi 3-31, P Maghizendan 3-46, Abrar Kazi 2-34) drew

Karnataka: 328 all out and 124/7 in 31 overs (KL Rahul 43, Shishir Bhavane 30; Anand Sahoo 3-42). Orissa 3 pts, Karnataka 1.