JOIN USRanji Trophy: Vyshak swings as Karnataka beat Chhattisgarh by 7 wickets
In a dramatic turn of events on the final day, Karnataka pulled off a memorable win which appeared improbable at stumps on the third and penultimate of their Group C Ranji Trophy match against Chhattisgarh.
Having dismissed the visitors, overnight 35/2, for 177 in 77.5 overs, just 25 minutes before the tea interval, Karnataka coasted to a seven-wicket win to take the top spot in the group with 19 points.
Needing 123 for a win in a minimum of 32 overs, Karnataka replied with 128/3 in 23.2 overs. Nikin Jose (44 n.o., 59b, 1x4, 2x6) sealed the win with a slogged six over mid-wicket and a motley but vociferous crowd at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium walked home with smiles on their faces here on Friday.
Manish Pandey's (27, 24b, 2x4, 2x6) flair and Jose's industry with the bat may have taken Karnataka past the victory line but it was a result set up by Vyshak Vijaykumar (5/59) and fellow bowlers. Though the odd ball stayed low or kicked-up from length, it was largely a good wicket to bat on even on the final day.
It was the right-arm quick who drew the first blood on the day by having first-innings centurion Ashutosh Singh (18, 78b) caught behind the wicket. With K Gowtham accounting for skipper Harpreet Singh Bhatia, who chopped the off-spinner onto stumps, Chhattisgarh went into lunch break at 116/4.
It could well have been five-down had BR Sharath, who later limped off the field after getting injured while attempting a catch, held onto an edge from Mayank Verma. The batsman was yet to open his account then and went on to make 46.
Vyshak by then had made enough of an impression in his unbroken spell of 8-3-21-2 and it wasn't surprising to see Mayank Agarwal summon his services immediately into the second session. The right-arm quick didn't disappoint his skipper, cleaning up a well-set Amandeep Khare (50R, 111b, 6x4) with one that jagged back sharply, forcing the batsman to play it onto the stumps.
Shashank Singh was the next victim as Vyshak completed a second successful spell (5-0-22-2). He was quick, probing, consistent with his lines and lengths and occasionally got the ball to seam away. It was a just reward for his efforts and was deservingly adjudged the player of the match.
In between Gowtham and Shreyas Gopal struck one each to reduce Chhattisgarh to 170/6. In a desperate bid to end the innings fast, Agarwal threw the ball to his best bowler on the day and Vyshak returned to clean up last man Sourabh Majumdar and complete his maiden first-class five-wicket haul.
Chhattisgarh, not surprisingly, tried every legal trick to deny Karnataka the win. They found various reasons to delay the proceedings and bowled negative lines to deny runs. But Karnataka batsmen were resourceful enough to chase down the target and grab six points on offer.
In the next match, Karnataka will take on Rajasthan at KSCA's Alur grounds from January 10.