Ranji Trophy: Karnataka keep Services in check

Kaverappa bags three after Sharath, Gowtham prop up with the bat

BR Sharath, K Gowtham and Vidwath Kaverappa dished out fine individual performances as a fighting Karnataka kept Services in check on the second day of their Ranji Trophy Group C encounter here on Wednesday.

First wicketkeeper Sharath (77, 115b, 10x4) and off-spinning all-rounder Gowtham (48, 52b, 8x4) forged a fine 90-run partnership for the seventh wicket to help the hosts, who looked in a spot of bother at 148/6 overnight, post a competitive 304 all out in 74.4 overs.

Lanky pacer Kaverappa, playing his third first-class match, then produced an outstanding opening spell, scalping 3/29, including two wickets in the first over, to help Karnataka make a rollicking start. But with his pace bowling colleagues V Vyshak and Ronit More struggling to maintain the same pressure and intensity from the other end by spraying the ball all over, Services hauled themselves out of danger by reaching stumps at 96/4 in 28 overs when bad light brought a premature end to the proceedings for the second day in succession.

Much of Karnataka’s hopes early in the day hinged on the last recognised pair of Sharath and Gowtham. The reasonably experienced Sharath and battle-hardened veteran Gowtham, completely aware of how much the game depended on their respective innings, batted with responsibility in the opening hour.

While Gowtham, who likes to dominate bowlers with the bat in his hand, mixed aggression with a fair bit of defence, Sharath went about his job in a calculated fashion, defending strongly but barely sparing a ball that was pitched up and meant to be hit. Gowtham even got hit on the throat by a bouncer from Arpit Guleria but the 34-year-old simply shrugged it off, even refusing the intervention of the physio initially, to thwart Services’ bowlers.

The duo kept motoring along nicely in good batting conditions as Karnataka slowly appeared to be taking the upper hand. But then Gowtham presented Services a chance by trying to hit spinner Pulkit Narang despite a long-on fielder in position. Needless to say the ball landed straight into the hands of fielder Diwesh Pathania and Gowtham trudged back angrily, berating himself. He knew he had undone all the good work with lunch around the corner.

Sharath, however, stayed focused and scripted a 58-run alliance with More (26, 41b) for the eight wicket. But Services struck a double blow, removing both More and Sharath in quick succession as Karnataka were bowled out soon after surpassing 300.

Kaverappa then stepped up beautifully, bowling with plenty of heart to single-handedly derail Services’ start. He got spanked for two successive boundaries off his opening two balls but then exacted revenge in his third, getting Shubham Rohilla caught at slip. Two balls later, he castled Rahul Singh. In his second over, he dismissed Aanshul Gupta with a superb out-swinger, the clueless batter simply edging to keeper Sharath.

Kaverappa was top notch in that opening spell, largely taking the ball away but keeping batters on tenterhooks with his incoming ones. But he didn’t get much support from his partners, and Services batters Ravi Chauhan (39 batting) and Rajat Paliwal (42 batting) cashed in the on inefficiency to keep their side in the game.