Ranji Trophy QFs: Defending champion Gujarat, 41-times winner Mumbai in spot of bother

Karnataka took control of their Ranji Trophy quarter final against Mumbai by taking a commanding 222-run lead over the 41-time champions on day two of the five-day game at the VCA Stadium in Jamtha today.

Half centuries by opener Mayank Agarwal, M Kaunain Abbas, C M Gautam and Shreyas Gopal helped Karnataka to the dominating position as they closed out the day at 395 for 6 in 122 overs with Shreyas Gopal unbeaten on 80 off 151 balls along with skipper R Vinay Kumar (31 not out). Karnataka had yesterday bundled out Mumbai for a partly 173 and finished the opening day at 115 for 1.
Agarwal, who is the top run getter this Ranji season, made 78 off 104 balls, striking 11 fours and a six while one down Abbas (50), Gautam (79) and Shreyas played their roles to perfection.

Debutant right arm medium pacers Shivam Malhotra, who grabbed the wicket of Agarwal this morning, and Shivam Dube (5 for 79) were the wicket takers for Mumbai. In fact, the two first-timers took four wickets in good time to leave Karnataka at 218 for five and the game in balance before the batting side recovered through two big partnerships for the sixth and seventh wickets, with Shreyas Gopal involved in both of them.

Shreyas, unbeaten after facing 151 balls and hitting seven fours, put on 103 runs with ?keeper Gautam to steady the innings. Later, he added 74 runs with skipper Vinay Kumar, who took six wickets yesterday including a hat-trick, for the unfinished seventh wicket to put his team on top and for Karnataka to press on further tomorrow.

For Mumbai, Dube caught the eye in his first Ranji game and his victims included opener R Samarth (40), Abbas, Karun Nair, Pavan Desphande and Gautam.
Senior pacer Dhawal Kulkarni, youngster Akash Parkar and left-arm spinner Karsh Kothari were unsuccessful.

Bengal grab initiative: 

 B Amit's all-round prowess and Aamir Gani's useful contribution at the rear propelled Bengal to a commanding position against defending champions Gujarat after the second day of the Ranji Trophy quarter-final here. In reply to Bengal's respectable first innings score of 354, beefed up by Aamir (49) and Amit (34), Gujarat were in a spot of bother at 180 for six.

After his contribution with the bat, Amit picked up three for 46 with his gentle medium pace to put the Ranji champions on the mat. He was ably supported by India U-19 Ishan Porel (2/55).
Gujarat lost their dependable opening duo of Priyank Panchal (4) and Samit Gohil (0) to Porel and Ashok Dinda, respectively, with only 17 runs on the board, but then controlled the proceedings due to Parthiv Patel (47) and Bharghav Merai (67).

The duo added 107 runs for the third wicket in only 30 overs. Patel hit seven boundaries in 95 balls while Merai faced 116 balls for his eight fours. Things went downhill after Parthiv got dismissed as Gujarat lost four wickets for 20 runs during that phase of play. Porel induced an edge off Parthiv, straight into Shreevats Goswami's gloves. Former IPL and India A player Manprit Juneja (10) was deceived by an incutter from Amit, being trapped in front of the wicket.

Merai, well set by then, was bowled by Amit and he also removed Chirag Gandhi, who nicked an outswinger into Shreevats' gloves. Gujarat required 175 runs more to get a first innings lead with four wickets in hand. The experienced pair of Rujul Bhatt (13 batting) and Piyush Chawla (22) were at the crease at stumps on day two.

With three days left, the defending champions still have a good chance of making a comeback, considering that Bengal batting in the past have faltered in big games despite getting first-innings lead. The day started at 261 for six and the pair of Amit and Aamir added 58 invaluable runs for the seventh wicket to take the team past 300-run mark. Amit scored 36 off 59 balls with seven fours before he became Ishwar Chaudhary's (5/87) fourth victim. Gani, who missed his half-century by a run, hit eight boundaries off 109 balls, before being the last man dismissed.