PANAJI
Bad weather continued to play spoilsport on the third day of the Elite Group B clash between Karnataka and Goa at the KSCA Navule Stadium in Shimoga, with only 64 overs of play possible, and the visitors Goa providing late batting order resistance with 171-6 in reply.
Monday morning blues took centre-stage as the start was first delayed by an hour due to a wet outfield. In the 18 overs of play possible in the opening session, the visitors lost three wickets as the hosts' pacers seized control over the proceedings.
Resuming on 28-1, the Goa collapse was initiated by Right arm Fast medium, Vidwath Kaverappa on the seventh delivery of the day. He had Goa mainstay, Suyash Prabhudesai nick one behind to wicketkeeper, K L Shrijith on 12. Captain Snehal Kauthankar (10) and last match hero, Abhinav Tejrana (18) were dismissed in quick succession as the visitors sank to 51-4 in 19 overs.
Kauthankar was undone by Left arm Medium, Abhilash Shetty and was caught behind, while Tejrana who was going well, misread a Kaverappa delivery and was taken by Nikin Jose positioned at second slip. Allrounders, Lalit Yadav on 16 and Darshan Misal on 6 survived the Karnataka four-pronged pace attack to take Goa to lunch at 74-4 in 31 overs.
In the middle session, the experienced hands in Lalit and Misal, endeavoured to revive the Goa first innings, but their concerted efforts resulted in little fruition.
The pair were separated after a 49-run fifth wicket stand, when Misal was pouched by Karun Nair at first slip off Right arm Medium fast, Yashovardhan Parantap for 12. With the team total at 115, Lalit, on a well-set 36 tried a pull shot but could only let the ball go as far as midwicket where Parantap gleefully accepted the catch as Abhilash Shetty claimed his third wicket. Capable late order batters, Arjun Tendulkar on 29 and Mohit Redkar on 17 took the visitors to tea at 150-6.
After the break, Arjun Tendulkar and Mohit Redkar continued where they left off batting sensibly and to the given situation. Tendulkar was batting on 43 (115b, 5x4, 1x6) and Redkar was on 24 (54b, 24) and the duo had stitched an innings highest unbeaten 56-run association for the seventh wicket when bad light stopped play at 4.35 pm. No further play was possible and stumps were called with Goa 171-6 in 77 overs, still trailing by 200 runs.
BRIEF SCORES
>Karnataka, 1st innings. 371 in 110.1 overs (Karun Nair 174*;Vasuki Koushik 3-35, Arjun Tendulkar 3-100) v Goa, 1st innings. 171-6 in 77 overs (Arjun Tendulkar 43*, Abhilash Shetty 3-63). Goa trail by 200 runs
