JOIN USCM Gautam slammed an unbeaten 94 while Ganesh Satish gave him good company with a fine 83 as Karnataka crushed Mumbai by five wickets to storm into the final of the all-India invitational Buchi Babu cricket tournament here on Friday.
Set-up brilliantly by Amit Verma (5/78) and KP Appanna (3/76) who helped bowl out Mumbai for 303 in 90 overs on Thursday, Karnataka batsman had a challenge at their hands following inconsistent shows in the tournament so far.
However, they came to semifinal party in style, scaling down the target in just 67.5 overs with five wickets to spare.
Openers KB Pawan and Robin Uthappa (54) laid a fine platform with a 46-run stand before the former perished. Uthappa (54) then added 58 runs in the company of Satish as Karnataka looked good for task when trouble struck. Quick succession of wickets left them reeling at 146/4 when Gautam joined forces with Satish.
The duo stitched together a counter-attacking 165-run partnership in just 34.2 overs to shut the door on Mumbai.
Karnataka take on Kerala, who defeated Baroda in the other semifinal, in the title clash from Sept 2.
Brief scores: Mumbai Cricket Association XI: 303 all out in 90 overs (Kaustubh Pawar 97, Nikhil Patil Jr 83, Siddhesh Lad 34; Amit Verma 5-78, KP Appanna 3-76) lt to Karnataka: 306/5 in 67.5 overs (Robin Uthappa 54, Manish Pandey 35, Ganesh Satish 83, CM Gautam 94 n.o.; Oninder Singh Gill 2-74).