Ranji Trophy | Karnataka and Goa share honours on a rain-hit opening day

Honours were adjacent astatine stumps connected time 1 of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group-B lucifer betwixt Karnataka and Goa astatine the KSCA Navule Stadium present connected Saturday.

After Goa opted to bowl and reduced the hosts to 128 for five, a 94-run association (148b) between Karun Nair (86 batting, 138b, 7x4, 1x6) and Shreyas Gopal (48 batting, 84b, 5x4, 1x6) ensured 222 runs connected the committee and a changeable astatine a decent-sized full for Karnataka’s four-man gait onslaught to defend.

Until then, Karnataka was kept nether a choky leash. V. Koushik, formerly of Karnataka, was astatine his miserly champion (18-7-24-2), took the prized scalp of skipper Mayank Agarwal (28, 69b, 4x4) and plucked a good drawback astatine square-leg to excise the unsafe Abhinav Manohar (37, 64b, 6x4).

If not for the rain-induced delayed commencement of 90 minutes, Koushik, chiefly a plaything bowler, mightiness person had much assistance. Despite the prima beating down, the 33-year-old bowled an unrelenting fourth-stump enactment arsenic Karnataka went into luncheon astatine 15 for nary nonaccomplishment from 12 overs.

The speedster and Mayank past indulged successful a cat-and-mouse game, with the skipper repeatedly stepping retired to negate the question and Koushik, each present and then, asking the wicket-keeper to basal up to the stumps to support the batter successful check. Koushik had the last laugh, having Mayank caught astatine slip.

Karun, though, played the relation of a elder statesman to perfection. The 33-year-old started with a streaky edged treble but was coagulated thereafter. The 2 expertly steered fours to the third-man obstruction disconnected Vijesh Prabhudesai and the towering six implicit left-arm spinner Darshan Misal’s caput showcased some his people and power.

Goa was hampered by off-spinner Mohit Redkar’s constricted relation arsenic helium hobbled disconnected successful the 11th implicit aft hurting his limb connected a still-damp and dense outfield. It denied Goa power aft Koushik and chap fast-bowler Arjun Tendulkar (17-5-47-3) had done the dense lifting. Karun and Shreyas duly capitalised.

The scores: Karnataka — 1st innings: Nikin Jose c Khutkar b Arjun 3, Mayank Agarwal c Kauthankar b Koushik 28, K.L. Shrijith c Dubhashi b Arjun 0, Karun Nair (batting) 86, R. Smaran c Tejrana b Koushik 3, Abhinav Manohar c Koushik b Arjun 37, Shreyas Gopal (batting) 48; Extras (b-5, lb-9, nb-3): 17; Total (for 5 wkts. successful 69 overs): 222.

Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-26, 3-47, 4-65, 5-128.

Goa bowling: Arjun 17-5-47-3, Koushik 18-7-24-2, Vijesh 14-3-57-0, Misal 11-0-56-0, Redkar 5-0-16-0, Suyash 4-0-8-0.

Toss: Goa.