BANGALORE, OCT 4: The name Vijay and Vijay has the ring of a firm of solicitors. But ask the Rest of India squad. They would probably qualify them as two thorns by the same name. Both the Vijays, the experienced Vijay Bharadwaj and the debutant A Vijay, did enough damage to the Rest cause, that they, along with Sunil Joshi and Sujith Somasundar, have virtually clinched the Irani Trophy for champions Karnataka.While A Vijay has batted with exemplary temperament and poise in both the innings of his maiden first class match, Vijay Bharadwaj, after subverting the Rest recovery on the third day by grabbing two quick wickets, used the willow to telling effect today to put the match beyond the visitors' grasp.
When stumps were drawn 30 minutes beyond schedule today, the home side, after bundling out Rest for 221 and earning a 105-run lead, grafted their way to a total of 200 for four.
Karnataka take the field on the final day on Monday, ahead by 305 runs.
After Joshi, India's best left arm spinner at themoment, had extracted life out of the pitch this morning to come away with a five-wicket haul, Rest struck back by dismissing the top three Karnataka batsmen, including first innings centurion Sujith Somasundar, rather cheaply. But whatever slender hopes they had of pulling the rug from under their opponents' feet were dashed when Vijay Bharadwaj and A Vijay batted superbly in the post-tea session.
SCOREBOARD
Karnataka (1st innings): 326
Rest of India (1st innings): (Overnight 202 for 7)
VVS Laxman c Girish b Ganesh 19; Jyothi Yadav c Ganesh b Joshi 11; Majumdar c Prasad b Joshi 17; S Sharath c Siruguppi b Ganesh 26; Rohan Gavaskar c Somasuundar b Joshi 40; MSK Prasad c Girish b Vijay Bharadwaj17; Nikhil Chopra (run out) 54; Sivaramakrishnan c Siruguppi b Vijay Bharadwaj 0; Paras Mhambrey c A Vijay b Joshi 8; Rajesh Pawar c Somasundar b Joshi 0; Robin Singh Junior (not out) 1; Extras (b9, lb1, nb 17, w1): 28. Total (all out in 111.5 overs & 439 mins): 221
Fall Of Wickets: 1-33,2-50, 3-77, 4- 126, 5-132, 6-197, 7-201, 8-213, 9-220
Bowling: Prasad 25-11-39-0; Ganesh 16-1-47-2; Joshi 41.5-21-57-5; Ananth 6-1-35-0; Katti 15-6-22-0; Bharadwaj 8-5-11-2
Karnataka (2nd innings): Somasundar c Sharath b Pawar 25, Arun Kumar c Chopra b Mhambrey 4, Bharadwaj c Laxman b Chopra 87, Girish Rao c Majumdar b Chopra 23, A Vijay (batting) 46, Sunil Joshi (batting) 7; Extras (b1, nb7): 8. Total (for 4 wickets in 79 overs & 338 mins): 200
Fall Of Wickets: 1-17; 2-39; 3-105; 4-186
Bowling: Mhambrey 19-3-40-1; Robin Jr. 10-4-24-0; Pawar 18-5-34-1; Chopra 19-2-59-2; Sivaramakrishnan 8-1-36-0; Gavaskar 5-0-6-0
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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