8-time champions K’taka register innings win to enter semis

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Karnataka dominated with both bat and ball as they thrashed Uttarakhand by an innings and 281 runs to enter the semifinals of the Ranji Trophy here on Friday. Resuming at their overnight score of 106 for 3 after following on, Uttarakhand batters could add just 103 runs before being bowled out for 209 in 73.4 overs on the fourth day of the quarterfinal match.

Swapnil Singh (51 off 100 balls) top-scored for Uttarakhand. Shreyas Gopal turned out to be the star for Karnataka, as, after making an unbeaten 161 with the bat in his team’s massive first innings total of 606, he returned with figures of 3/26 in Uttarakhand’s second essay to claim the player-of-thematch honour.

Besides Gopal, Vijaykumar Vyshak (3/55), Vidwath Kaverappa (2/30) and M Venkatesh (2/44) also chipped in with wickets. Earlier, electing to bowl, Karnataka shone bright with the ball to bundle out Uttarakhand for a paltry 116 in their first innings. Right-arm pacer Venkatesh was the wrecker-inchief then, claiming five wickets for 36 runs.

In reply, Karnataka batters made merry against Uttarakhand’s pedestrian bowling attack with Ravikumar Samarth (82), skippeer Mayank Agarwal (83), Devdutt Padikkal (69), Nikin Jose (62) all scoring halfcenturies, besides Gopal’s unbeaten ton. Karnataka would be looking to add to their eight Ranji titles and reclaim the elite domestic crown after the 2014-15 season.

Brief scores: Uttarakhand: 116 and 209 all out in 73.4 overs (Swapnil Singh 51, Dikshanshu Negi 29; Shreyas Gopal 3/26, Vijaykumar Vyshak 3/55) lost to Karnataka 606 in 162.5 overs (Shreyas Gopal 161 not out, Mayank Agarwal 83, Ravikumar Samarth 82, Devdutt Padikkal 69, Nikin Jose 62; Abhay Negi 4/109, Mayank Mishra 3/117, Swapnil Singh 2/118).