Despite Tamil Nadu left-arm spinner S. Ajith Ram’s five-wicket haul in the second innings, Karnataka is on course for a big win, having set the host a huge target of 355 at the end of day three of the Elite Group C Ranji Trophy match here at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.
TN resumed the day on 129 for seven in its first innings and got bundled out for a paltry 151 — same as what Devdutt Padikkal alone managed — as Karnataka pacer V. Vyshak (four for 26) struck thrice in as many overs to help his side secure a healthy 215-run lead.
After choosing not to enforce the follow-on, the visitor managed only 139 in its second essay, with Ajith Ram (five for 61) running through the side. But with a 354-run lead, Mayank Agarwal’s men will feel they have more than enough on a pitch that is getting harder to bat on and offering a lot of help to the spinners.
At stumps, TN was on 36 for one in its second innings, losing the in-form N. Jagadeesan, caught at slip going for a booming drive to an away-swinger from Vyshak.
Earlier, Ajith Ram again looked like TN’s best bowler, showcasing all his variations. First, he breached Agarwal’s defence to peg back his leg stump and then bowled Manish Pandey with a quicker delivery. In between he also castled Kishan Bedare with a delivery that turned sharply away from the right-hander.
Ajith Ram celebrates after breaching Agarwal’s defence.
| Photo Credit:
VEDHAN M
The 25-year-old scalped his third five-wicket haul of his career and finished with match figures of nine for 136. Padikkal once again looked largely untroubled and made a quick 36 before Pradosh Ranjan Paul dismissed him for the second time in this match. Vyshak chipped in with a vital unbeaten 22 to take his side’s lead past 350.
With 319 runs more needed, the home team will need one or two of its batters to get big scores to even attempt to draw the game and salvage a point from this encounter.
The scores:
Karnataka – 1st innings: 366.
Tamil Nadu – 1st innings: Vimal Khumar b Hardik 14, N. Jagadeesan lbw b Shashi Kumar 40, Pradosh Ranjan Paul c Manish b Shashi Kumar 5, B. Indrajith c Sharath b Vyshak 48, S. Lokeshwar c Padikkal b Vyshak 3, Vijay Shankar c Bedare b Kaverappa 6, M. Boopathi Kumar lbw b Shashi Kumar 8, R. Sai Kishore c Bedare b Hardik 2, M. Mohammed b Vyshak 6, S. Ajith Ram lbw b Vyshak 2, Sandeep Warrier (not out) 0; Extras (b-12, lb-2, nb-3): 17; Total (in 69.2 overs): 151.
Fall of wickets: 1-51, 2-66, 3-67, 4-80, 5-93, 6-111, 7-119, 8-146, 9-150.
Karnataka bowling: Hardik 26-6-56-2, Kaverappa 16-8-14-1, Vyshak 12.2-1-26-4, Shashi Kumar 15-1-41-3
Karnataka – 2nd innings: R. Samarth lbw b Mohammed 2, Mayank Agarwal b Ajith Ram 11, Devdutt Padikkal c Indrajith b Pradosh 36, Hardik Raj b Sai Kishore 20, Manish Pandey b Ajith Ram 14, Kishan Bedare b Ajith Ram 9, S Sharath c Indrajith b Sai Kishore 18, Nikin Jose run out 0, V. Vyshak 22 (not out), K. Shashi Kumar lbw b Ajith Ram 0, V. Kaverappa c Jagadeesan b Ajith Ram 4; Extras (lb-2, w-1): 3; Total (in 56.4 overs): 139.
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-32, 3-68, 4-75, 5-88, 6-107, 7-110, 8-120, 9-121.
TN bowling: Warrier 9-2-23-0, Mohammed 5-1-13-1, Sai Kishore 18-3-27-2, Ajith Ram 19.4-2-61-5, Pradosh 5-0-13-1.
Tamil Nadu – 2nd innings: Vimal Khumar (batting) 16, N. Jagadeesan c Padikkal b Vyshak 8, Pradosh Ranjan Paul (batting) 10; Extras (b-2): 2; Total (for one wkt. in 15 overs): 36.
Fall of wicket: 1-14.
Karnataka bowling: Kaverappa 3-0-13-0, Vyshak 5-1-12-1, Shashi Kumar 5-1-7-0, Samarth 2-0-2-0.