JOIN USStoic Bhatia frustrates Karnataka
Karnataka pacers had rocked the Rajasthan top order in the morning session. The defending champions, after a tough opening day, were back into the groove. But Delhi import Rajat Bhatia, the way he has done all through his first-class career, stood stoic amidst the ruin with a defiant 99. However, despite his heroics, it was Karnataka who ended the second day with a slight edge, having reduced the hosts to 219/7 at stumps.
The Vinay Kumar-led side, resuming at overnight 270/8, lasted for merely four overs to end their first innings at 281. Aniket Choudhary removed overnight batsmen David Mathias and Shreyas Gopal in a space of two overs, the latter being yorked, to conjure 5/77, the best figures for a Rajasthan bowler against Karnataka in an innings. The previous best figures belonged to Salim Durani in 1971-72.
With nippy morning conditions and a seamer-friendly track at their disposal, the formidable Karnataka pace-battery got going straightaway. By lunch, they had seen the back of top four Rajasthan batsmen, including the in-form captain Ashok Menaria. But Bhatia (99, 170b, 14x4), who was unlucky to miss on a well-deserved century, played a pivotal role in stitching two key partnerships. Rajasthan, however, still trail by 62 runs in the first-innings with Deepak Chahar (13) and Ajay Singh (6) holding the fort at the end of day’s play. The defending champions would be fancying their chances to clean up Rajasthan quickly, having taken the second new ball in the last over of the day.
Karnataka, though, would be clucking their tongues on a few dropped catches, with Abhishek Reddy spilling opener Pranay Sharma, when at 4, at first slip off Vinay. He was immediately replaced by Robin Uthappa, who later, grassed Rajasthan captain Menaria when he was on 17. Bhatia, too, was given life when he was dropped by Suchith off Binny when on 46.
As expected, the bowling spearheads Vinay and S Arvind maintained a probing line. Pranay started the procession when Arvind’s delivery beating his bat to disturb the off-stump. Saxena followed him two balls later when a direct throw from Stuart Binny, at short midwicket, found him short of crease. Vinay, returning for his second spell, induced a nick from Menaria, who tried to drive him away from his body.
But Bhatia held firm. With an impressive batting average of 48.39 at the lower order, the all-rounder was in the familiar territory. He had been the Delhi’s batting mainstay before being unceremoniously shown the door by the state authorities. He had joined Rajasthan from their last match against Maharashtra, where he knocked half-centuries in both the innings. Along with Puneet Yadav and Dishant Yagnik, he raised 76 runs and 60 runs for fifth and sixth wickets.
He was slow to start with Karnataka bowling tight and churning out maidens. But as the pitch eased out under the afternoon sun, he began to drive fluently on both sides of the wicket. Binny was struck thrice in the 28th over, all three boundaries piercing the cover field. Karnataka were all set to end the session barren but Samarth took a brilliant low diving catch at short cover to dismiss Yadav off Binny, right at the stroke of tea.
Bhatia, though, was nonplussed. He was lucky to have a second life, at 79, when he was caught behind off Reddy, only to find that the bowler had overstepped. The 36-year-old made the most of it but his entertaining stay was cut short when Vinay bowled at his legs, and Bhatia missed the line while going for a flick to be caught plumb in front.
Karnataka now just have to play their cards correctly.
score board
KARNATAKA (I innings, O/n: 270/8): Robin Uthappa c Saxena b Chahar 11 (26b), Mayanak Agarwal b Choudhary 66 (133b, 11x4), Abhishek Reddy lbw Tanveer 9 (19b, 2x4), R Samarth b Chahar 65 (132b, 10x4), Stuart Binny c Yadav b Singh 14 (33b, 2x4), CM Gautam c Yagnik b Singh 1 (14b), Shreyas Gopal b Choudhary 48 (100b, 6x4), R Vinay Kumar c Tanveer b Choudhary 29 (57b, 3x4), J Suchith lbw Choudhary 0 (1b), David Mathias c Yagnik b Choudhary 18 (51b, 2x4), S Arvind (not out) 1 (4b). Extras: (B-1, LB-6, NB-6, WB-6) 19, Total (all out, 94 overs) 281.
Fall of wickets: 1-28 (Uthappa), 2-51 (Abhishek), 3-136 (Agarwal), 4-177 (Binny), 5-179 (Samarth), 6-179 (Gautam), 7-232 (Vinay), 8-232 (Suchith), 9-276 (Mathias).
Bowling: Deepak Chahar 26-7-85-2 (NB-1), Aniket Choudhary 24-4-77-5 (NB-5, W-5), Tanveer-Ul-Haq 21-7-60-1 (W-1), Rajat Bhatia 8-3-18-0, Ajay Singh 15-3-34-2.
RAJASTHAN (I innings): Pranav Sharma b Arvind 11 (22b, 2x4), Vineet Saxena (run out) 2 (33b), Vaibhav Deshpande c Samarth b Mathias 13 (36b, 3x4), Ashok Menaria c Gautam b Vinay 17 (46b, 2x4), Rajat Bhatia lbw Vinay 99 (170b, 14x4), Puneet Yadav c Samarth b Binny 28 (94b, 3x4), Dishant Yagnik b Mathias 21 (74b, 3x4), Deepak Chahar (batting) 13 (14b, 1x4, 1x6), Ajay Singh (batting) 6 (5b, 1x4). Extras (B-4, NB-3, W-2) 9. Total (for 7 wkts in 82 overs) 219. Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Pranav), 2-13 (Saxena), 3-44 (Deshpande), 4-48 (Menaria), 5-124 (R Yadav), 6-184 (Yagnik), 7-212 (Bhatia).
Bowling: R Vinay Kumar 18-6-39-2 (W-1), S Arvind 21-10-36-1, Stuart Binny 12-1-39-1 (W-1), David Mathias 12-3-41-2 (NB-2), Shreyas Gopal 9-0-24-0, J Suchith 6-1-16-0, R Samarth 2-0-2-0, Abhishek Reddy 2-0-18-0 (NB-1).