Karnataka restricted to moderate total

Rajasthan pegged back Karnataka to an unimposing 243 all out on the opening day of their Super League match at the RSI Ground in Bangalore today. But the visitors stuttered in their reply as Javagal Srinath fired out their captain and best batsman Gagan Khoda for 3. Rajasthan were 24/1 from 9 overs at stumps.

Earlier in the day Khoda won the toss and invited Karnataka to take first strike. Shamsher Singh packed off Rowland Barrington with the innings just three balls old. Mithun Beerala (48) and Rahul Dravid then steadied the boat with an enterprising 108 run stand from 24.3 overs. A middle order slump followed with 4 wickets falling for 41 runs as the home side groped their way to 150/5. Dravid was out for a brisk 71 off 90 balls with 12 fours. Although Thilak Naidu and Sunil Joshi marshalled a brief recovery with a sixth wicket stand of 63, the last five wickets tumbled for 30. DP Singh's 4/44 were the best bowling figures for Rajasthan.