On day of their four-day clash in the Col CK Nayudu Trophy under-22 tournament, the J&K lads opened up a handy 93-run lead on the first innings, though the hosts salvaged some face before stumps through left-arm spinner KP Appanna to reduce J&K, batting a second time around, to 101 for six.

Like Parvez Rasool, who made 68 on day one, Mehraj too had a point to prove after himself having been picked up by the cops last Saturday. He did so by picking up wickets in a rush as Karnataka, so prolific last week against Mumbai, slumped to 82 for seven.
Karnataka began their first innings on Thursday morning after J&K had been bowled out in the previous evening’s last over for 286, and Mehraj triggered the collapse by getting rid of S Vinod in the fifth over and Rahil struck in the next, dismissing the experienced KB Pawan, also caught behind. Never recovering from those twin blows, Karnataka fairly meandered along before an eighth-wicket stand of 66 (58m, 97b) between Abrar Kazi and A Mithun helped them reach some respectability.

Kazi, who had taken five wickets on Wednesday, made a patient 40 (105m, 88b, 6x4) while Mithun contributed 35 (84m, 61b, 5x4) as Karnataka eventually managed 193, bowled out in the second session.

Their pride stung, Karnataka fought back with a vengeance through Appanna. Like in the first innings, Rasool again was among the runs, making a rapid 35 (70m, 45b, 5x4), but Appanna justified skipper Ganesh Satish’s decision to hand him the new ball with figures of five for 35 as Karnataka kept themselves in the hunt.

J&K lead overall by 194 runs with four second innings wickets in hand, and two full days to play.

Brief scores: Jammu & Kashmir: 286 all out in 92.5 overs and 101/6 in 34 overs (Adil Reshi 25, Parvez Rasool 35; KP Appanna 5-35) vs Karnataka: 193 all out in 53.5 overs (Abrar Kazi 40, A Mithun 35; Mehraj Din Dar 4-34, Rahil Singh 4-47).