Uttarakhand qualify for maiden semi-final; Rahul holds key for Karnataka

A lower-order fightback from Tanush Kotian and Tushar Deshpande kept Mumbai slightly ahead against Karnataka after day three at BKC. By stumps, Karnataka required another 212 runs to chase down their target of 325.

In their second innings, Mumbai were 258 for 7 at one stage, and 205 runs ahead. But Kotian and Deshpande frustrated Karnataka with an 89-run eighth-wicket stand as they took Mumbai to 377. Not only did they add crucial runs, but they also did that at a quick pace. Before that, left-arm spinner Shikhar Shetty had troubled Mumbai by extracting turn and striking twice in an over.

But Kotian and Deshpande counterattacked, with a period of seven overs fetching them 59 runs. While Deshpande smashed 47 off 40 balls, Kotian remained unbeaten on 48*.

Mumbai captain Shardul Thakur then struck in the third over when he had Mayank Agarwal caught for 3. But KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal hit back with quick runs. They kept finding the boundary despite the odd ball turning more than expected, or keeping low.

Rahul raised fifty off 55 balls, and lost Padikkal (39) when Kotian broke their 84-run stand. But Karnataka will have their experienced pair of Rahul (60*) and Karun Nair (9*) at the crease when they resume their chase on the fourth morning.

Jharkhand lost 8 for 30 in a stunning second-innings collapse on the third evening to hand Uttarakhand an innings win in Jamshedpur. As a result, Uttarakhand made it to their first semi-final in the Ranji Trophy.

Only two Jharkhand batters got into double figures as left-arm spinner Mayank Mishra (5 for 22) and right-arm seamer Abhay Negi (4 for 36) ran through the hosts in Jamshedpur.

The day had started with Uttarakhand 47 runs ahead in the first innings. Jagadeesa Suchith took that lead to 136 by scoring a patient 70 off 172 balls. Negi contributed 46 from No. 8, while wicketkeeper-batter Saurabh Rawat scored 32, as Uttarakhand kept chipping away.

After taking the first-innings lead, Uttarakhand struck early with the ball in the second. Negi dismissed the Jharkhand openers to leave the hosts at 14 for 2. But recovery followed, as Virat Singh and Kumar Kushagra joined hands. Mishra broke the 86-run stand on the third ball of the 28th over by having the Jharkhand captain Virat caught for 55, and thereafter, a procession took over.

Robin Minz fell first ball, and Kushagra was dismissed for 34. As Negi and Mishra struck one after the other, they were left in a race to complete a five-for as both had four wickets at one stage and only one Jharkhand wicket was left to be taken.

But it was Mishra who got to the landmark when he had Jatin Pandey caught at short leg.

Just one wicket fell in the 83 overs of play in Kalyani on Sunday, as Sudip Kumar Gharami's unbeaten 216 stretched Bengal's first-innings lead against Andhra to 123. It was also Gharami's maiden first-class double hundred, during which he lifted Bengal from 43 for 3 at one stage to 418 for 6.

Gharami deflated Andhra with his patience and grit, facing up equally well to the quicks, who used the around-the-wicket angle to pepper him with short balls, and the left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar, who looked to land the ball in the foot-holes outside the leg stump while going over the wicket.

Gharami batted 451 balls for his knock, and received good support from Sumanta Gupta and Habib Gandhi. Gharami added 165 runs for the sixth wicket with Sumanta, and then an undefeated 100 for the seventh with Gandhi. The stand with Sumanta ended when, on 81, the batter got a leading edge to silly point off Saurabh.

The Bengal batters were content in taking their time on a pitch showing signs of wear and tear. The hosts already have the advantage of a first-innings lead, by virtue of which they can qualify for the semi-final if the match ends in a draw. But Gharami and Gandhi (45*) will look to completely bat Andhra out of the game on day four.

A lower-order rescue act led by Vanshaj Sharma, an all-round effort from Abid Mushtaq, and back-to-back wickets from Auqib Nabi helped Jammu and Kashmir closer to the semi-final. Madhya Pradesh were set 291 to win in Indore, but were 87 for 5 by stumps on day three.

The day had begun with J&K themselves in a hole at 84 for 5 after going 42 ahead in the first innings. Kanhaiya Wadhawan (23) and Mushtaq only briefly steadied their side when their sixth-wicket stand ended at 51. That became 149 for 8 even as Mushtaq remained firm at one end.

But he first added 34 with Yudhvir Singh, and then a decisive 65 for the last wicket with Sunil Kumar. Vanshaj finished on 54*, and stretched J&K's lead to 290. Thus, J&K went into MP's second innings with momentum on their side.

MP looked steady in pursuit of 291, but lost five for 42 after a 34-run opening stand. Nabi got Yash Dubey while Mushtaq had Himanshu Mantri as both openers fell after getting a start. Mushtaq, who had scored 41 in the second innings, then took an outstanding return catch to dismiss Harsh Gawli.

Nabi then landed two late blows when he had Rajat Patidar caught at gully and nightwatcher Kumar Kartikeya bowled off a yorker. Venkatesh Iyer avoided the hat-trick, but in the company of Shubham Sharma, has a much bigger task due on day four.