Ranji Trophy: Mantri takes the game away from Karnataka

It was a cool and pleasant morning in Bengaluru, the kind that the city usually offers and one which is apt for four-day cricket. By close of play in the evening, Karnataka were made to feel the heat as Madhya Pradesh slowly went about their business to exert control on the game, extending their lead to 336 runs on the third day of their penultimate Ranji Trophy Elite Group B fixture in Alur (1) here.

While this still does not ensure them three points, Madhya Pradesh will be the happier side going into the final day, finishing on 204/6 in 71 overs.

After bowling Karnataka out in 6.1 overs after play resumed on day 3, MP, sitting fourth in Group B with 16 points, would have had a sole target in mind -- to bat Karnataka out of the game. 

Having taken a commanding 132-run lead, the visitors opted for a traditional approach to further frustrate Karnataka. The bowling from hosts was insipid in the first session which enabled the visitors to tighten the noose comfortably. 

However, Shikhar Shetty (2/41) picked Karnataka's first wicket in the 19th over, trapping Yash Dubey (17, 54b, 2x4) in front before lunch. 

It was all Karnataka in the second session as a Vidyadhar Patil (3/39) inspired fightback saw them dominate even as Himanshu Mantri (89 n.o., 203b, 4x4) notched up his ninth first-class fifty in 109 balls, with Madhya Pradesh inching closer towards the 250-run lead. 

Vidyadhar, who was in the middle of a menacing spell, castled both Shubman Sharma (32, 49b, 3x4) and Rajat Patidar (0, 2b) in three balls, showcasing an exhibition of seam bowling. 

He also drew a mistake from Mantri on 49 but substitute Nikin Jose failed to make full use of the opportunity at first slip. 

On the other hand, Shreyas Gopal (1/52) controlled things from one end and picked up Venkatesh Iyer (1, 3b) in the 36th over, sending a few jitters in the opposition camp. 

Shikhar struck a second blow in the 46th over with Akshat Raghuwanshi (13, 28b) playing all around a full length ball and was cleaned up for 13, to have the visitors 123/5. 

Just when Karnataka started to crawl back into the game, Saransh Jain (15 retd hurt, 31b) steadied things with a 30-run partnership with Himanshu before he hurt his finger. 

Nair suffers cut  

Going into the final day, Karnataka, sweating on injuries, will hope that Karun Nair, who was taken to the hospital for stitches (five) after he cut his webbing between his left index and middle finger, will be fit to bat.

It is learnt that the team management will take a call whether he would bat on the fourth morning.

On the other hand, Shrijith KL (swollen finger) has been given a green signal to bat but did not take the field to keep. 

Earlier, though pacer Aryan Pandey (2/35) struggled with his line and length, Kuldeep Sen (2/45) made early inroads for Madhya Pradesh in the fifth ball of the day, cleaning up Vyshak Vijayakumar (5, 14b). 

Aneesh KV (92, 171b, 9x4, 1x6), who constituted a good chunk of Karnataka's 191-run total, missed out on a well-deserved first first-class hundred after edging it to first slip off Saransh (4/42). 

Vidwath Kaverappa (8 not out, 15b, 2x4) remained unbeaten as Madhya Pradesh wrapped Karnataka in 64.1 overs. 

Cut-off box - SCOREBOARD
MADHYA PRADESH (I Innings):  323 all out
KARNATAKA (I Innings O/n: 168/8): Mayank Agarwal c Sagar b Aryan 0 (7b) Aneesh KV c Patidar b Saransh 92 (171b 9x4 1x6) Devdutt Padikkal lbw Saransh 0 (1b) Karun Nair (run out) 12 (19b 1x4) Shrijith KL c Himanshu b Sen 7 (17b 1x4) Abhinav Manohar st Himanshu b Saransh 14 (22b 2x4) Shreyas Gopal lbw Saransh 41 (76b 5x4) Shikhar Shetty lbw Aryan 5 (31b) Vidyadhar Patil b Sagar 4 (12b) Vyshak Vijaykumar b Sen 5 (14b) Vidwath Kaverappa (not out) 8. Extras (LB-3) 3. TOTAL (all out 64.1 overs) 191.
Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Agarwal) 2-5 (Padikkal) 3-19 (Nair) 4-39 (Shrijith) 5-60 (Manohar) 6-142 (Shreyas) 7-155 (Shikhar) 8-162 (Vidyadhar) 9-172 (Vyshak).
Bowling: Kumar Kartikeya 10-1-45-1 Aryan Pandey 12-1-35-2 Saransh Jain 20.1-4-42-4 Kuldeep Sen 12-1-45-2 Sagar Solanki 10-3-21-1.
MADHYA PRADESH (II Innings): Yash Dubey lbw Shikhar 17 (54b 2x4) Himanshu Mantri (batting) 89 (203b 4x4) Shubham Sharma b Vidyadhar 32 (49b 3x4) Rajat Patidar b Vidyadhar 0 (2b) Venkatesh Iyer b Shreyas 1 (3b) Akshat Raghuwanshi b Shikhar 13 (28b 1x4) Saransh Jain retd hurt 15 (31b 1x4 1x6) Sagar Solanki lbw Vidyadhar 13 (32b 2x4) Aryan Pandey (batting) 13 (24b 1x4). Extras (W-6 B-5) 11. TOTAL (for 6 wkts 71 overs) 204. 
Fall of wickets: 1-38 (Yash) 2-96 (Shubham) 3-96 (Patidar) 4-99 (Venkatesh) 5-123 (Akshat) 6-179 (Sagar). 
Bowling: Vidwath Kaverappa 13-4-28-0 Vidyadhar Patil 16-5-39-3 Vyshak Vijaykumar 11-1-39-0 Shikhar Shetty 11-0-41-2 Shreyas Gopal 20-3-52-1. 
Group B brief scores: In Mangalapuram: Kerala: 139 all out & (O/n: 21/2) 185 all out in 48 overs (Vishnu Vinod 56 Salman Nizar 53; Rohit Dhanda 4-38 Vishu 3-41) lt to Chandigarh:  416 all out in 115.4 overs. Chandigarh: 7 pts; Kerala: 0.
In Pune: Goa: 209 all out & 210/6 in 73 overs (Abhinav Tejrana 109 Darshan Misal 52 n.o.; Jalaj Saxena 2-64 HA Walunj 3-45) vs Maharashtra: (O/n 306/8): 350 all out in 106 overs (Prithvi Shaw 31 Ruturaj Gaikwaj 66 SS Nawale 105 Vicky Ostwal 38; Koushik V 2-58 Arjun Tendulkar 2-49 Lalit Yadav 4-98).