Bengaluru, Jan 31: Karnataka’s tiny hopes of entering the Ranji Trophy knockouts from Elite Group C was dissipated along with Haryana skipper Ankit Kumar’s smooth hundred here on Friday.
Ankit’s 118 (154b, 19×4) guided Haryana to 232 for five at close on Day 2 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, leaving them trailing the hosts by 72 runs.
Earlier, Karnataka, starting from overnight 267 for five, lost five wickets quickly and were bowled out for 304 in their first innings on a rather placid pitch.In fact, once Haryana avoided the follow-on mark of 154, they have assured a berth in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals for the first time since the 2016-17 season, when they had lost to Jharkhand.This is the first time Karnataka are missing a place in the knockouts since the 2015-16 season.Karnataka still can force a favourable result against Haryana here, but stand no chance to gain a bonus point which was crucial to their progress to the quarterfinals.The eight-time champions will end up with 25 points in the event of a win here, but Haryana already have 26 points.Kerala, the other team to advance to the quarterfinals from this group, have 28 points.Even after getting bundled out for 304, Karnataka might have hoped for a miracle but their bowlers, who had kept them afloat with some lion-hearted efforts, could not rise to the occasion.They found a strong-willed rival in Ankit who nullified the Karnataka bowlers rather easily.
On their part, the home side bowlers, though tried gamely, were not at their accurate best often giving the batters enough chances to score easily.
That rare laxity, which haunted them at the most inappropriate time, pruned their dreams.
Kerala trounce Bihar to enter QF
At Thumba, Kerala walloped Bihar by an innings and 169 runs inside two days to go on top of Group C with 28 points.Kerala had begun the match on 21 points and they gained seven points, including one bonus point for an innings victory.
After amassing 351, Kerala bundled out Bihar for 64 in their first innings and for 118 in their second dig to celebrate a massive win.
Spinner Jalaj Saxena was their lead cast with a match haul of 10 for 53. (PTI)
