After bundling out Maharashtra for 305, an addition of just 33 runs to their overnight 272 for five, in the first hour of the morning session today, Karnataka ended the second day on 230 for no loss in 68 overs.
Karnataka are now only 75 runs behind their opponents with all their wickets intact.
Everything, including luck, went in favour of Karnataka except that their opener Robin Uthappa retired hurt on 10 on team’s score of 14 in the fifth over after being hit on the left elbow by a delivery from Samad Fallah.
But the other opener Rahul and one-down batsman Satish played some fine strokes and also capitalised on poor bowling and fielding by their opponents to place Karnataka in a strong position in the final match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
Maharashtra bowlers toiled hard for two and half sessions on a pitch from which they did not get much purchase except in the first session during which they got some movement of the ball. They erred in line and length often and Rahul and Satish capitalised on them.
Maharashtra’s woes were compounded by their poor fielding, as both Rahul and Satish were dropped twice each. Satish was dropped when on six and 89, while Rahul got lives when he was yet to open his account and on 74.
Despite the initial hiccups, which saw Uthappa walking off the field, and themselves getting lives from butterfingered Maharashtra fielders, Satish and Rahul were never shy of playing strokes.
Satish has hit 16 fours from the 207 balls he has faced so far, while Rahul has struck nine fours and a six from 189 balls.
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