Karnataka draw against UP, Vidarbha win big (Ranji Roundup)

Hubli (Karnataka), Dec 20 (IANS) Karnataka took first innings lead against Uttar Pradesh in a Ranji Trophy Elite Group B game which ended in a draw, while reigning champions Vidarbha registered a big innings and 60-run win over Rajasthan on Friday.After bundling out Uttar Pradesh for 281 in the first innings, Karnatka rode on Shreyas Gopal's 58 to post 321 and take a slender 40-run lead. In their second innings, Uttar Pradesh batted the entire day to salvage a draw with opener Almas Shaukat (103 not out) notching up an unbeaten hundred.Meanwhile, Rajasthan were made to follow on and Vidarbha's Aditya Sarwate and Akshay Wakhare reduced them to 12/3. They kept losing wickets on the final day and resistance from Ashok Menaria (49) and Rajesh Bishnoi (58) only delayed the inevitable.Meanwhile, Punjab ran out winners by an innings and 125 runs against Hyderabad who started the day in all sorts of trouble as they trailed Punjab by 171 runs with five wickets remaining. Hyderabad were skittled out for a paltry 76. Mayank Markande (5/19) was the wrecker in chief who was supported well by Akul Pandove (3/27).Elsewhere, Jammu and Kashmir beat Maharashtra by 54 runs in a Group C match while Andhra Pradesh chalked up a comprehensive nine-wicket win over Delhi. K.V. Sasikanth and Cheepurapalli Stephen took five wickets each for Andhra.In Indore, Baroda won against Madhya Pradesh by one wicket in a thriller while Saurashtra thrashed Railways by an innings and 90 runs. Their skipper Jaydev Unadkat, who was bagged by IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals for Rs 3 crore on Thursday, picked up six wickets.
--IANS dm/arm