Ranji Trophy: Crist leads the way for Tamil Nadu

VISAKHAPATNAM: On a green top where run-making wasn't the smoothest of exercises, seamers from both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka accounted for 13 of the 14 wickets that fell on Day 1 of their Ranji Trophy quarterfinals encounter at the ACA-VDCA Stadium here on Friday. The day saw Karnataka fold up for 88 in their first innings - thanks to Aswin Crist's (6-31) incisive spell - before Tamil Nadu finished at 111 for 4, a lead of 23.Dinesh Karthik (31 batting, 5x4) and skipper Abhinav Mukund (3 batting) were in the middle at stumps. Abhinav, who had fever, batted down the order.
If Karnataka suffered from a starting trouble, their opponents too had their share of anxious moments. Openers Kaushik Gandhi (15, 1x4), and L Suryaprakash (15, 2x4) put on 30 for the opening wicket before the latter edged one to keeper Gautam off S Arvind (2-14) in the 12th over. The left-arm pacer also dismissed Gandhi, caught at first slip by KL Rahul. B Indrajith (1) too departed quickly before the pair of Karthik and Vijay Shankar (34, 3x4) brought stability to the Tamil Nadu innings with their 70-run stand for the fourth wicket in 19.2 overs. The partnership ended when Vijay Shankar went for a non-existent single called by Karthik - who tapped one towards the point region. A direct hit from Kaunain Abbas - stationed in that position - found Vijay Shankar short of the crease, leaving Tamil Nadu at 103 for 4. Tamil Nadu would have lost their fifth wicket in the final delivery of day but both Shreyas Gopal (at square-leg region) and keeper Gautam failed to call for a catch offered by Karthik off Arvind. It surely was a day of missed opportunities for Karnataka, first with the bat and then with the ball.
Earlier, Abhinav won an important toss and asked Karnataka to bat first. Crist was the wrecker-in-chief as Tamil Nadu needed only 37.1 overs to wrap up Karnataka's innings. Crist received tremendous support from fellow pacers T Natarajan (3-18) and K Vignesh (1-32). Karnataka's slide began in the very second over when Natarajan's away-seamer had Rahul caught by Aparajith at second slip to leave them at 4 for 1. Kaunain Abbas, who failed to open his account despite facing 24 deliveries, slashed at a Crist delivery only for it to be pouched by Vijay Shankar at gully. Karnataka's scorecard at this point read 10-2 in the 9th over.
Meanwhile, Manish Pandey (28, 4x4) - the top-scorer for Karnataka - managed to play some authoritative shots, but they were far and few. Apart from him, only three Karnataka batsmen -opener R Samarth (11, 2x4), Karun Nair (14, 3x4) and Vinay (14, 2x4) - made it to double figures. Samarth was guilty of chasing a wide delivery from Natarajan, only for Kaushik Gandhi at point region to do the rest. Abhimanyu Mithun (6, 1x4), sent in at No 5, went for a wild pull off Natarajan - only for keeper Karthik to be in business. At 44 for 4, Karnataka were in deep trouble and never recovered.
Aswin then got the key wickets of Pandey, Karun and Stuart Binny that pretty much ended Karnataka's resistance. Pandey was pouched by Gandhi at point region, before Karun fell to a delivery that rose sharply and the outside edge was taken by keeper Karthik. Binny was trapped leg-before. Karnataka found the going tough and their innings concluded 35 minutes after lunch.
Scoreboard: Karnataka 1st innings: R Samarth c Gandhi b Natarajan 11, KL Rahul c Aparajith b Natarajan 4, MK Abbas c Shankar b Crist 0, MK Pandey c Gandhi b Crist 28, A Mithun c Karthik b Natarajan 6, K Nair c Karthik b Crist 14, S Binny lbw b Crist 0, CM Gautam c Indrajith b Crist 2, R Vinay Kumar c Natarajan b Crist 14, S Gopal c Karthik b Vignesh 1, S Aravind n.o. 1; Extras (b4, w1, nb 2); Total (all out in 37.1 overs): 88; FoW: 1-4, 2-10, 3-31, 4-44, 5-61, 6-61, 7-72, 8-77, 9-82, 10-88; Bowling: Crist 13.1-5-31-6, Natarajan 9-3-18-3, Vignesh 11-3-32-1, Shankar 4-1-3-0
Tamil Nadu 1st innings: KM Gandhi c Rahul b Aravind 15, L Suryaprakash c Gautam b Aravind 15, B Indrajith c Gautam b Binny 1, KD Karthik batting 31, V Shankar run out 34, A Mukund batting 3; Extras (b10, lb2) 12; Total (For 4 wickets in 36 overs) 111; FoW: 1-30, 2-31, 3-33, 4-103; Bowling: Vinay Kumar 10-3-33-0, Mithun 7-0-34-0, Aravind 11-5-14-2, Binny 8-3-18-1