Karnataka register seven-wicket win over TN

Vasco da Gama (Goa): Karnataka registered a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Tamil Nadu in a South Zone leg encounter of the Vijay Hazare National One Day Championship here today.

Opting to bat, Tamil Nadu scored a competitive 250 for eight, which Karnataka batsmen chased down comfortably in 45.2 overs, losing just three wickets in the process. Tamil Nadu did not have an ideal start and they were reeling at 84 for four at one stage, but Dinesh Karthik (84) and Vijay Shankar (59) came to the team`s rescue. The duo consolidated the innings, putting on a 142-run stand for the fifth wicket to take the score past 200-run mark. When Shankar finally fell, after playing a valuable knock that came off 73 balls, laced with two fours and a six, Tamil Nadu were in control at 227 for five. Karthik, was however quick to join his partner in the dressing room. His 87-ball 84 included four hits to the fence and three sixes. Thereafter none of the batsmen could make an impression. For Karnataka, Abhimanyu Mithun was the pick of the bowlers with figures of three for 49, while HS Sharath (2/45) and Stuart Binny (2/56) chipped in with two wickets each. In reply, Karnataka always looked in total control even as the TN bowlers looked lacklustre. Manish Pandey (81) and Karun Nair (64) scored half-century each, besides sharing an unbeaten 123-run partnership for the fourth wicket to reach 252 for three with 28 balls to spare. Opener Robin Uthappa (49) and Ganesh Satish (35) also contributed with the bat. PTI