By Admin 
On a sweltering day, Saurashtra openers Harvik Desai (41, 104b, 2×4, 1×6) and Chirag Jani (90, 148b, 11×4, 1×6) further turned on the heat with a 140-run partnership that lit up the afternoon on day two of their Ranji Trophy Group-B clash against Karnataka at the Niranjan Shah Stadium here on Thursday.
The duo, displaying a blend of grit and elegant stroke play, wrested control of the game with a display that screamed intent.
After the visitor was bowled out for 372 in its first innings, Harvik and Chirag began the home side’s response in positive fashion, taking full advantage of the benign surface and humid conditions, which offered little assistance to the bowlers. The pair effortlessly found the fence and settled into a good rhythm.
Chirag, the more aggressive of the two, showcased an impressive range of strokes — fluent drives off both front and back foot, and sharp square cuts — to keep the scoreboard ticking and sustaining the pressure on the bowlers.
Quick strikes
However, Karnataka clawed its way back with four quick wickets, courtesy its spinners. Offie Mohsin Khan provided the much-needed breakthrough, trapping Harvik plumb in front. Shreyas Gopal then took charge, dismissing the well-set Chirag, and later sending back Jay Gohel (who had come in as a substitute for Tarang Gohel, ruled out after injuring his fingers) and Ansh Gosai, caught at forward short-leg.
Earlier, Karnataka’s overnight batters R. Smaran and Shreyas, in pursuit of quick runs, fell in quick succession — the former becoming left-arm spinner Dharmendra Jadeja’s fifth scalp and the latter to Jaydev Unadkat, the skipper’s only success.
However, a resilient 47-run stand for the final wicket between Shikhar Shetty and Abhilash Shetty lifted Karnataka to a competitive total, despite Jadeja’s seven-wicket haul.
With the match finely poised, an exciting third day awaits.
The scores:
Karnataka — 1st innings: S.J. Nikin Jose c Ansh b Jadeja 12, Mayank Agarwal c Chetan b Jadeja 2, Devdutt Padikkal b Jadeja 96, Karun Nair lbw b Jadeja 73, R. Smaran c Ansh b Jadeja 77, K.L. Shrijith c Harvik b Yuvrajsinh 5, Shreyas Gopal c Ansh b Unadkat 56, M. Venkatesh c Ansh b Jadeja 0, Shikhar Shetty c Unadkat b Samar 41, Mohsin Khan c Ansh b Jadeja 1, Abhilash Shetty (not out) 2; Extras (nb-1, b-5, lb-1): 7; Total (in 117.3 overs): 372.
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-26, 3-172, 4-195, 5-214, 6-324, 7-324, 8-324, 9-325.
Saurashtra bowling: Unadkat 20-3-55-1, Chetan 15-3-29-0, Jadeja 42-9-124-7, Chirag 3-1-5-0, Prerak 3-1-14-0, Yuvrajsinh 23-3-90-1, Samar 11.3-0-49-1.
Saurashtra — 1st innings: Harvik Desai lbw b Mohsin 41, Chirag Jani b Shreyas 90, Jay Gohel c & b Shreyas 3, Arpit Vasavada (batting) 12, Ansh Gosai c Smaran b Shreyas 19, Prerak Mankad (batting) 20; Extras (b-2, lb-8, pen-5): 15; Total (for four wkts. in 60 overs): 200.
Fall of wickets: 1-140, 2-148, 3-151, 4-171.
Karnataka bowling: Abhilash 7-3-14-0, Venkatesh 7-2-24-0, Shikhar 15-2-58-0, Shreyas 17-2-51-3, Mohsin 14-0-38-1.