Tamil Nadu faces uphill task on final day

CHENNAI: Ajith Ram’s fifer helped Tamil Nadu restrict Karnataka to 139 in the second innings on Sunday, giving a ray of hope for the host going into the final day of the Group C Ranji Trophy match. Karnataka set TN a daunting target of 355. At stumps, the host was placed at 36 for one.

Resuming at the overnight score of 129 for 7, it was a hasty end for Tamil Nadu’s batting tail as right-arm medium pacer Vijaykumar Vyshak got three quick wickets to complete the proceedings as it got bowled out for 151 in 69.2 overs. The Tamil Nadu bowlers had the perfect start for the day as Mohammed dismissed opener Samarth, who got out just for two runs.

The next breakthrough came when left-arm orthodox Ajith Ram knocked the stumps to dismiss Karnataka skipper Mayank Agarwal.

Karnataka was 39 for two with a hefty lead of 254 runs at lunch.

At the start of the second session, a partnership started to build between Devudutt Padikkal and Hardik Raj up until Pradosh Ranjan Paul scalped the wicket of Padikkal, who scored a brilliant 151 in the first innings.

The fourth wicket fell within the next couple of overs as skipper Sai Kishore knocked the stumps to end the innings of southpaw Hardik Raj, who scored his maiden first-class fifty in the first innings. Karnataka only managed to add 71 runs in the second session, with only four wickets remaining going into the evening session.

Just five balls after tea, Nikin Jose lost his wicket after a magical direct hit by Mohammed from gully.

In the 57th over, Ajith Ram ended Karnataka’s innings when Vidwath Kaverappa nicked an edge to the left-armer, giving him a five-wicket haul.

BRIEF SCORES: Karnataka 366 & 139 in 56.4 overs (Ajith Ram 5/61) vs Tamil Nadu 151 in 69.2 overs (B Indrajith 48, N Jagadeesan 40, V Vyshak 4/26, S Kumar 3/41) & 36/1 in 15 overs