Hyderabad swallow bitter follow-on pill

Javagal Srinath tuned up for the forthcoming Test match at Dhaka with a haul of 4/86 as Karnataka forced Hyderabad to follow-on in their Ranji Trophy South Zone contest at Bangalore. The visitors were rolled over for 291 in their first knock and settled at 15 without loss in their second when stumps intervened.

The Hyderabad openers resumed battle at 48/0 and were quickly separated as Srinath trapped Nandakishore leg before. Daniel Manohar and VVS Laxman now joined hands in a century partnership to keep the Karnataka attack, comprising four Test bowlers, at bay.

The memory of Laxman's 353 in the last encounter between the two sides just over six months ago on the same ground was firmly exorcised as Sunil Joshi had him stumped for a puny 60 (99 balls, 8 fours, 2 sixes). Seventeen runs later, Manohar (73) knocked the left arm spinner down Arun Kumar's throat at midwicket and it was only a brave 68 by Vinay Kumar that prevented the Hyderabad innings from disintegrating completely.

Thilak Naidu had another busy day, collecting three catches and a stumping to go with the 122 he made off the bat. The innings closed in the 98th over, Hyderabad conceding a lead of 254, and the two openers watchfully negotiated the remaining 3.1 overs from Srinath and Prasad.