Mayank’s double century puts Karnataka in command
The Hindu
Karnataka took a 68-run first innings lead after ending the penultimate day at 410 for six
Karnataka skipper Mayank Agarwal mastered the pitch to tame the Kerala attack and compiled a double century (208) which put Karnataka in command at the end of the fourth day’s play in the Ranji Trophy cricket match against Kerala at the KCA-St.Xavier’s College ground here on Thursday.
Karnataka took a 68-run first innings lead after ending the penultimate day at 410 for six. With the odd ball turing and bouncing, Karnataka will fancy its chances of forcing a win on Friday. At stumps, wicketkeeper B.R.Sharath was batting on 47 and Shubhang Hedge was unbeaten on eight.
It was a long day for Kerala which failed to seize the chances and allowed Karnataka batters to dominate them. Shoun Roger at first slip failed to latch on to sharp chance when Mayank Agarwal, on 168, edged Akshay Chandran and later wicketkeeper P. Rahul missed a stumping from Sharath when the batter was on 18 off Vaisakh Chandran. Both batters made Kerala pay for the left offs.
In the morning, Mayank and Nikin Jose used their feet to smother the spin and put away the bad deliveries for boundaries. Mayank took on Jalaj Saxena early in his spell, depositing the off spinner over long on for a straight six and followed it with an on driven four.
Nikin Jose found his touch to complete his half century. However, Kerala stuck twice in quick succession before lunch as Akshay forced Nikin to edge a catch to shoun at first slip and Jalaj got rid off Manish Pandey for a golden duck as the batter was caught in the leg slip.
Mayank after grafting for major part of the second session suddenly changed gears and slammed Nidheesh for a six and two fours to move from 185 to 203 in just six balls. Vaisakh ended Mayank stay as the batter edged him to short leg.
There was a noticeable drop in scoring rate after Mayank’s dismissal as only 70 runs came in the post tea session which also saw the dismissal of Shreyas Gopal caught at short leg for 48.
Asian Games champion Avinash Sable opened his season in the 3000m steeple chase with a silver in the Portland Track Festival, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze event, in Oregon on Saturday. He clocked 8:21.85s. Asian champion Parul Chaudhary took the bronze in the women’s 3000m steeple chase in a season-best 9:31.38s. Former Asian bronze medallist Sanjivani Jadhav struck gold in the women’s 10,000m in 32:22.77s, a time which was a second off her personal best, while Seema was sixth in 32:55.91s.