Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 26: After toiling hard on the field for around three sessions on Day-2 and the penultimate day today, Jammu and Kashmir batsmen showed application, composure and promise today, but have a huge task at hand on the final day tomorrow, needing 319 runs more to win with 6 wickets in hand in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group-C match at IIT Chemplast, Chennai.
Earlier, resuming from an overnight score of 128/2, Karnataka declared their second innings at 298/3, thus setting a target of 508 runs for Jammu and Kashmir. Sidharth KV top scored with 72-ball 72 runs, while first innings centurion Karun Nair and skipper Manish Pandey contributed unbeaten 71 and 37 respectively. Openers Samarth R and Devdutt Padikkal scored 62 and 49 runs respectively. Left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq was the only successful bowler from J&K, taking all three wickets to fall, conceding 65 runs in his 18 overs.
Chasing a huge winning target of 508 runs in the second essay, J&K batsmen showed resistance and were 189 for the loss of 4 wickets in 71 overs at the draw of stumps today. Skipper Ian Dev Singh Chauhan was unbeaten on 65 off 113 balls, studded with 8 fours and 2 sixes, talented Abdul Samad was at the crease on 21 off 29 deliveries with 1 four and 2 sixes.
Earlier, wicketkeeper batsman, Fazil Rashid, who was promoted to number-3 spot scored magnificent 65 runs off 140 balls, studded with 8 fours and 2 sixes. Jatin Wadhawan (15), Shubham Singh Pundir (09) and Qamran Iqbal (04) fell cheaply. For Karnataka, Shreyas Gopal took 3 wickets by conceding 90 runs in his 19 overs, while Prasidh Krishna claimed 1 wicket by giving away 20 runs in his 12 overs.
With last day’s play left, J&K needs 319 more runs to win with 6 wickets in hand.
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