Rawat, Samantray hand Odisha 1st innings lead over Karnataka

Wicket-keeper Saurabh Rawat made a career-best 85 while Biplab Samantray hit 58 to help Odisha take the all-important first innings lead over fancied Karnataka in a Group B Ranji Trophy cricket match, here today.
Resuming at the overnight score of 42 for two in reply to Karnataka's paltry first innings total of 179, Odisha finished at 318 for nine in 111 overs at stumps on the second day of the four-day match at the Palam ground here.
Odisha, thus, lead Karnataka by 139 runs with just a wicket in hand.
In fact, at one stage Odisha were in a spot of bother at 79 for five before Samantray and Abhishek Yadav (33) stabilised the innings with a crucial 61-run partnership for the sixth wicket.

After Abhishek's dismissal, Samantray stitched another vital partnership of 106 runs with Rawat to ensure the first innings lead for Odisha before both fell to leg-break bowler Shreyas Gopal.
Rawat's runs came off 124 balls with the help of 12 boundaries and one six.

Besides, skipper Govind Podder also played a good hand up the order with a fine 44.
Gopal turned out to be the pick of the bowlers for Karnataka with figures of five for 73 from 24 overs.
Brief Scores:
Karnataka: 179 all out
Odisha: 318 for nine in 111 overs (Saurabh Rawat 85, Biplab Samantray 58; Shreyas Gopal 5/73).