K L Rahul made a sublime half-century but Harpreet Brar helped Punjab reduce Karnataka to 255 for six in their first innings on Day 2 of their final Ranji Trophy Group B league fixture, in Mohali, on Friday.
The visitors still trail Punjab by 54 runs in a game that they must win to have a shot at qualification for the knock-out stage. Punjab are virtually out of knock-out contention but they showed on Friday they are not going to exit the tournament without a fight.
Resuming the day at 303 for nine, Punjab ended with 309 all out in 92 overs. Lower-order batter and spinner Emanjot Singh Chahal was the highest scorer of Punjab's innings with a gutsy 83 off 140 balls.
Karnataka began their innings well with the seasoned opening duo of K L Rahul (59 off 87 balls) and Mayank Agarwal (46 off 64 balls) sharing a 102-run stand.
However, Karnataka's slide began with the dramatic dismissal of Agarwal, whose crisp drive was somehow pouched by Jashanpreet Singh off Emanjot at silly point.
Rahul, at the other end, played delightful drives in his high quality knock. His effort also included sweeps and reverse sweeps before he was bowled by a beauty from left-arm spinner Brar, who got the ball turn just enough from leg-stump to deceive the India batter and find the middle stump.
Just like in Punjab's case, the lower-order got crucial runs for Karnataka.
Shreyas Gopal (42 batting off 124) and Vidyadhar Patil (23 batting off 56 balls) denied the opposition with an unbeaten 42-run stand.
Brar's guileful effort with the ball for Punjab stood out on the day. Featuring in only his fourth first class game, the IPL regular got good purchase off the surface.
He is on the cusp of another five wicket haul, having taken a match haul of 11 in the previous game.
Harvik Desai puts Saurashtra on top
Saurashtra opener Harvik Desai is making his red hot form count. He took Saurashtra to 453 for three with an unbeaten 200 not out off 305 balls after the visitors bowled out Chandigarh for 136 on day one.
Saurashtra, in the running for a knock-out berth alongside Karnataka, are on course for an outright win with the opposition trailing them by 286 runs.
Brief scores:
Punjab 309 all out (Abhijeet Garg 81, Emjanjot Singh Chahal 83 batting; Vidyadhar Patil 4/56) vs Karnataka 255 for 6 (KL Rahul 59, Shreyas Gopal 42 not out; Harpreet Brar 4/101).
Chandigarh 136 all out and 31 without loss vs Saurashtra 453 for 3 (Harvik Desai 200 not out, Jay Gohil 98).
Akash, Ahmed shine; Bengal in control vs Haryana
Table-toppers Bengal stayed on course for a sixth win of the season after bundling out hosts Haryana for 100 as 18 wickets tumbled during Day 2 of their Group C league match in Rohtak.
At close, Bengal, who have already qualified to the quarterfinals as group toppers, were 155 for 3 with skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran holding fort with a resolute 61 off 125 balls. Bengal stretched their overall lead to 248 runs.
A loss could prove costly for Haryana, currently second with 24 points, as Uttarakhand (22) are well placed to overtake them, holding a firm edge over Assam in their final league fixture in Dehradun.
Bowling in tandem, pacer Akash Deep (5/40) and left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed (5/42) wrapped up Haryana's first innings in just 31.1 overs.
Their effort came after Bengal themselves suffered a batting collapse earlier in the morning, losing their last five wickets in 12.3 overs to be bowled out for 193, having resumed at 168 for 5 overnight.
Such was the menace created by the Akash–Ahmed duo that Bengal needed only three bowlers in the innings, with Mukesh Kumar bowling just five overs.
Uttarakhand ride on Chandela double ton
Left-arm spinner Mayank Mishra used his accuracy to perfection to return figures of 3/26 from 23 overs as Assam struggled to 91 for 4 after Uttarakhand declared at a commanding 460 for 7, riding on skipper Kunal Chandela's 207, his maiden first-class double century.
Eyeing an outright win to keep their quarterfinal hopes alive, Uttarakhand resumed on 279 for 3 and batted with positive intent.
Chandela anchored the innings alongside Lakshya Raichandani, who made a patient 86 off 173 balls.
The pair stitched together a double-century partnership before Raichandani's dismissal.
Avneesh Sudha then chipped in with a quick 36 not out off 44 balls as Chandela opted for a sporting declaration.
Uttarakhand, placed third, could leapfrog Haryana and qualify alongside Bengal with a win.
Hingrajia slams 150
Resuming on 267 for 7 with skipper Manan Hingrajia on 98, Gujarat rode on his unbeaten 150 -- his fourth first-class century -- to post 352 all out.
In reply, Tripura responded strongly to reach 208 for 3, with two India veterans Vijay Shankar (51 batting) and Hanuma Vihari (40 batting) steadying the innings as the hosts trailed by 144 runs.
Earlier, wickets kept falling at the other end but Hingrajia stood firm, striking 18 fours and a six in his marathon 346-ball knock.
Manisankar Murasingh was the pick of the bowlers for Tripura with 4/52, while Abhijit Sarkar claimed 3/70.
Brief scores:
Bengal 193 all out (Sudip Chatterjee 86; Amit Rana 4/64, Tanmay Baloda 3/38) and 155 for 3 in 41 overs (Abhimanyu Easwaran 61 not out, Sudip Kumar Gharami 61; Rana 2/21) vs Haryana 100 all out (Yuvraj Singh 29; Akash Deep 5/40, Shahbaz Ahmed 5/42).
Uttarakhand 460 for 7 decl. (Kunal Chandela 207, Lakshya Raichandani 86, Bhupen Lalwani 52; Swarupam Purkayastha 3/48) vs Assam 91 for 4 (Rituraj Biswas 32 not out; Mayank Mishra 3/26).
Services 343 all out (Anshul Gupta 101, Nakul Sharma 89; Zubair Ali 4/63, Raj Choudhary 4/91) vs Railways 168 for 6 (Ravi Singh 55, Ali 45 batting; Arjun Sharma 3/54).
Gujarat 352 in 115.4 overs (Manan Hingrajia 150 not out, Jaymeet Patel 69, Priyesh Patel 52; Manisankar Murasingh 4/52, Abhijit Sarkar 3/70) vs Tripura 208 for 3 (Sridam Paul 69, Vijay Shankar 51 not out, Hanuma Vihari 40 not out).
Vidarbha lose edge against UP
In search of an outright win to qualify for the knockout stage, Vidarbha failed to take the upper hand against Uttar Pradesh despite half-centuries from Danish Malewar (80) and Nachiket Bhute (63) on the second day of their final Group A match in Nagpur.
After bowling out Uttar Pradesh for 237, Vidarbha too ended their first innings at the same figure after resuming at the overnight score of 33 for no loss.
Besides Malewar and Bhute, no other Vidarbha batter could make any significant contribution as right-arm pacer Shivam Mavi produced brilliant figures of 7 for 59.
At stumps, UP were 75 for 2 in their second innings with skipper Aryan Juyal (35 not out) and wicket-keeper Aaditya Sharma (25 not out) at the crease.
Andhra trail Nagaland by 99 runs
In Sovima, Andhra were at 267 for 5 in 70 overs in their first innings at stumps on the second day in reply to Nagaland's 366.
CR Gnaneshwar was batting on 87 off 120 balls, while giving him company was KV Sasikanth 31 not out.
Abhishek Reddy made 51 off 87 at the top, while Karan Shinde (51) and skipper Ricky Bhui (46) too made contributions with the bat.
Andhra still trail Nagaland by 99 runs.
Right-arm fast bowler Vino Zhimomi (4/45) was the pick of the bowlers for Nagaland.
Earlier resuming their innings at 322 for 6, Nagaland added just 44 runs for the last four wickets before being bowled out.
Jharkhand enjoy slight edge over Odisha
Opener Shikhar Mohan made a strokeful 80 off 91 balls which was laced with 14 boundaries and one six to take Jharkhand to 244 for 6 in reply to Odisha's 282 all out in Jamshedpur.
Besides Mohan, wicket-keeper Kumar Kushagra (47), skipper Virat Singh (32) and Robin Minz (37 not out) also made useful contributions with the bat.
Right-arm fast bowler Rajesh Mohanty (2/37) picked up two wickets for Odisha.
Earlier resuming at the overnight score of 241 for 6, Odisha finished at 282 with opener Swastik Samal (79) and Govinda Poddar (64) making significant contributions.
TN make strong start in reply to Baroda's 375
Skipper Atit Sheth hit 109 off 241 balls with the help of 11 boundaries to help Baroda pile up 375 in their first innings against Tamil Nadu in Salem.
Besides Sheth, Sukirt Pandey (84) and Ninad Rathva (66) also made half centuries for Baroda after electing to bat.
Off-spinner Jeganathan Hemchudeshan (6/120) and left-arm orthodox Sai Kishore (4/90) were the wicket-takers for Tamil Nadu.
In reply, Tamil Nadu made a strong start ending at 118 for no loss at stumps on the second day.
Vimal Kumar was batting on 66 in the company of Athish SR (42).
Brief scores:
Uttar Pradesh 237 & 75 for 2 (Aryan Juyal 35 not out, Aaditya Sharma 25 not out; Yash Thakur 1/16) vs Vidarbha 237 all out in 63 overs (Danish Malewar 80, Nachiket Bhute 63; Shivam Mavi 7/59).
Nagaland 366 all out (Chetan Bisht 189, Dega Nischal 74; Kavuri Saiteja 3/41, Tripurana Vijay 3/59) vs Andhra 267 for 5 (CR Gnaneshwar 87 not out, Karan Shinde 51; Vino Zhimomi 4/45).
Odisha 282 all out (Swastik Samal 79, Govinda Poddar 64; Saurabh Shekhar 3/43) vs Jharkhand 244 for 6 (Shikhar Mohan 80; Sayed Tufayl Ahmad 3/73).
Baroda 375 all out (Atit Sheth 109, Sukirt Pandey 84; Jeganathan Hemchudeshan 6/120, Sai Kishore 4/90) vs Tamil Nadu 118 for no loss (Athish SR 42 not out, Vimal Kumar 66 not out).
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