Andhra bowlersrestrict Karnataka
ENS/AGENCIES

KAKINADA, DECEMBER 25: ANDHRA bowlers dominated Day One's proceedings by restricting Karnataka to a moderate 248 in the four-day Ranji Trophy tie here today.

Electing to field after winning the toss, Andhra medium pacers N Madhukar and KS Shahabuddin exploited the morning conditions to the optimum. By the 13th over, three top Karnataka batsmen were cooling their heels in the pavilion. Arun Kumar slashed a rising delivery off Shahabuddin and Madhukar packed off Rowland Barrington and Sujith Somasundhar to reduce the rivals to three for 48.

Debutant Mithun Beerala (83: 138m, 96b, 17x4) donned the role of a saviour for Karnataka by playing his natural aggressive game. That he slammed ten boundaries in his fifty speaks volumes about the flamboyant stroke-play of this youngster Mithun Beerala and A Vijay stemmed the rot by adding 72 runs for the fourth wicket.

Twenty-six-year-old off-spinner Ranganath emerged the succussful bowler for Andhra, scalping his maiden five-wicket haul.

Brief scores: Karnataka 248 (Mithun Beerala 83, S Siriguppi 43, Anand Yalvigi 37 not out, Ranganath 5-69) vs AP.

Das, Mallick shine
CUTTACK: A superb 81 by skipper Shiv Sundar Das and a gutsy unbeaten half-century by Pravanjan Mallick helped hosts Orissa pile up 219 for two at close on the opening day of their four-day East Zone match against Bengal at Barabati Stadium today.

When bad light stopped play after 86.1 overs, Pravanjan (73) and all-rounder Sanjay Raul (40) were at the crease. Das (81: 171b, 7x4) and Pravanjan put on 80 for second wicket.
Brief scores: Orissa 219-2 (SS Das 81, Pravanjan Mallick 73 batting, Sanjay Raul batting 40, Shukla 2-51).

Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.