Arun Kumar, Naidu steer Karnataka safely through

Karnataka comfortably overcame Andhra by five wickets in their South Zone Ranji Trophy clash at Belgaum on Friday. Skipper Arun Kumar and wicket keeper Thilak Naidu were the leading protagonists in the runchase as the hosts reached their target of 263 with over a day to spare. The win takes Karnataka's tally to 16 points in the zonal table while Andhra have 11, both from three games.

Earlier in the day Andhra, carrying off from their overnight 189/8 were dismissed for 206, five overs into the morning. Dodda Ganesh snapped up both the wickets to fall, closing with figures of 5/59. For the second time in successive matches, Ganesh reaped an innings haul of five, after his 5/113 against Tamil Nadu last week.

Karnataka openers Arun Kumar and Mithun Beerala put on 36 for the first wicket before Andhra surged back into the match with two quick wickets. The man who did the damage was off spinner YS Ranganath who sent back Beerala and Barrington Rowland in the space of two runs. Karnataka went in to lunch at 67/2.

Arun Kumar and Sujith Somasunder proceeded to compile 78 for the third wicket, bringing Karnataka back in the reckoning. When off spinner H Vatekar bowled Somasunder for 36 to leave Karnataka at 116/3, the match had entered its decisive phase. Thilak Naidu joined the skipper for another productive stand which yielded 62 and it was left to seam bowler KS Sahabuddin to effect the breakthrough. He dismissed Arun Kumar for the second time in the match but not before the Karnataka captain had made a priceless 82 (164 balls, 10 fours, 1 six).

Naidu lost another partner in B Akhil but Dodda Ganesh proved to be more than a match for the Andhra attack. The paceman slammed 30 (22 balls, 6 fours) out of a 42-run unbroken sixth wicket stand to take Karnataka, who were 56 runs behind on first innings, through with almost seven overs to stumps. Naidu remained undefeated on 71 (109 balls, 7 fours, 2 sixes) as Karnataka finished on 265/5. This was Karnataka's 31st outright victory over Andhra in 45 games and their second in two games at this venue.