Ranji Trophy: Karnataka trail by 54 runs against Punjab on Day-2

In reply to Punjab’s first-innings total of 309, Karnataka, with four wickets still in hand, trail by 54 runs, setting up a finely poised contest

Exploiting the spin-friendly surface at the IS Bindra PCA Stadium, Punjab’s left-arm spinners Harpreet Brar (4/101) and Emanjot Chahal (1/55) put the hosts in a commanding position by restricting Karnataka to 255/6 in their first innings on Day Two of the final-round Elite Group B Ranji Trophy fixture.

Karnataka began their reply on a positive note as openers KL Rahul (59) and Mayank Agarwal (46) stitched together a solid opening stand. (HT photo for representation)

In reply to Punjab’s first-innings total of 309, Karnataka, with four wickets still in hand, trail by 54 runs, setting up a finely poised contest. Earlier, Punjab’s innings ended soon after the resumption of play, with the hosts adding just six runs to their overnight score of 303. For Karnataka, Vidhyadhar Patil claimed four wickets while Shreyas Gopal picked up three.

Karnataka began their reply on a positive note as openers KL Rahul (59) and Mayank Agarwal (46) stitched together a solid opening stand. Emanjot Chahal accounted for Agarwal, while Harpreet Brar removed Rahul to swing momentum back in Punjab’s favour. At stumps, Shreyas Gopal (42) and Vidhyadhar Patil (23) were at the crease, steering Karnataka through a challenging phase on a turning track.

Chandigarh Wicketkeeper-batter Harvik Desai produced a magnificent double century to place Saurashtra firmly in control on Day Two of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group B encounter against Chandigarh at the Cricket Stadium, Sector 16, on Thursday.

After bundling out Chandigarh for a modest 136 in the first innings, Saurashtra declared their reply at a commanding 453/3, riding on Desai’s unbeaten 200, an innings studded with 21 boundaries and a six. He was well supported by Jay Gohil (98) and Arpit Vasavada (96), as the visitors dominated proceedings.

Chandigarh’s bowlers tried various combinations, but breakthroughs proved hard to come by, with Jagjit Singh Sandhu, Karthik Sandil and Rohit Dhanda picking up a wicket apiece.

At stumps on Day Two, Chandigarh were 31 without loss in their second innings, still trailing by 286 runs, with the match firmly in Saurashtra’s grip.