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Karnataka thrash New Zealand

Six-time Ranji champions Karnataka thrashed New Zealand by seven wickets, after the Kiwis collapsed dramatically in the second innings for 105 on the concluding day of the three-day match at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore yesterday.

Requiring 86 runs for victory from a minimum 35 overs, after having gained a 20-run first innings lead, Karnataka scored the required runs in 20.4 overs, losing only three wickets.

First innings hero Vijay Bharadwaj was unbeaten with a quickfire 33, which included two sixes and three boundaries. Sujith Somasundar and Rahul Dravid chipped in with 19 and 18 respectively.

Earlier, New Zealand collapsed like a deck of cards in 47.5 overs against some steady and quality bowling by medium pacer Dodda Ganesh (3-41) and spinners Sunil Joshi (4-17), Anil Kumble (2-9) and Vijay Bharadwaj (1-14).

Karnataka thus became the first Ranji champion team to beat two visiting teams. It had defeated the West Indies in 1978-79 in Ahmedabad. Mumbai is the other team to have scored a victory over a visiting team. It defeated the Mark Taylor-led Australians in 1999 in Mumbai.

New Zealand, resuming at 12 for no loss, were in trouble early after the match started 45 minutes late due to wet ground conditions following the previous night's rains.

Karnataka were helped by some brilliant fielding, as six catches were taken in front of the wicket.

In the fifth over of the day, Matthew Horne (12) played a lazy shot for an outside the off-stump delivery from D Ganesh and the edge was taken by V S Thilak Naidu, with the side's total being 30.

Sunil Joshi, the most successful bowler, struck with his very first ball, when Chris Harris fell to a very good catch by A Vijay for zero. Harris had a poor match, making just seven in the first innings.

For C Spearman (1) too it was a poor match. As he shouldered arms, a swinging delivery from D Ganesh knocked his off stump. Spearman made just four in the first innings. The visitors were in real trouble having lost their top three batsmen in the first nine overs of the morning.

Fleming did not come out to bat and promoted others up the order.

Chris Cairns also did not last long. He became Ganesh's third victim when A Vijay took caught him for eight runs with the side's total 48. Ganesh's morning spell read 8-2-21-3.

Nathan Astle and Bell ensured that there were no further losses as the Kiwis went for lunch at 60 for four.

Karnataka decided to go for the kill as Anil Kumble brought himself on and persisted with Sunil Joshi. After lunch, Matthew Bell was taken by J Arun Kumar for 26, which included two boundaries. In the same over, Adam Parore was adjudged leg before, leaving New Zealand tottering at 78 for six. At that stage, Sunil Joshi had brilliant figures of 10-4-9-3.

A Penn came in and stood for 17 minutes for his one run. He did not know much about Kumble's googly and had to depart at 85.

Fleming walked in and tried his best to steady the innings with Nathan Astle, like in the first innings. But Astle was caught by A Vijay off the bowling of Kumble for 33, which contained five fours.

Having lost eight wickets for 96, a lead of just 76 runs, a crisis stared New Zealand in the face.

Vijay Bharadwaj, who was brought into the attack, obliged his skipper as A Vijay took a diving catch at forward short leg to send back Fleming for just four runs. Fleming stood his ground but departed after the umpire declared him out.

Wiseman and Drum delayed the inevitable and batted for 6.1 overs before Wiseman was caught by diving Arun Kumar for six to give Joshi his fourth wicket of the innings.

Chasing a modest target, Karnataka began on an ominous note, losing J Arun Kumar to the fourth ball of the innings, as he edged Chris Cairns into the hands of Spearman at third slip.

Sujith was the next to go when he mispulled a delivery from Wiseman into the hands of Chris Harris at short midwicket for 19, which contained two boundaries.

Chris Drum had the batsmen quiet, attacking the stumps, and succeeded in getting the wicket of Rahul Dravid as he edged trying to hook. Dravid, who was playing cautiously, struck two fours before being caught by Adam Parore.

Vijay Bharadwaj, who had missed his century by four runs in the first innings, seemed to be in a hurry as he went after the bowling. First he welcomed Wiseman, hoisting him over for a six and followed it up with a beautiful straight drive. He hit a massive six of Chris Harris and Karnataka romped home when Vijay Bharadwaj cut Harris to the third man fence. Thilak Naidu remained unbeaten on seven.

Scoreboard

New Zealand (1st innings): 249 for six declared
Karnataka (1st innings): 269 for nine declared
New Zealand (2nd innings):
Matthew Horne c Thilak Naidu b D Ganesh 12
Matthew Bell c J Arun Kumar b Sunil Joshi 26
Chris Harris c A Vijay b Sunil Joshi 0
C Spearman b D Ganesh 1
Chris Cairns c A Vijay b D Ganesh 8
Nathan Astle c A Vijay b Anil Kumble 33
Adam Parore lbw Sunil Joshi 0
A Penn b Anil Kumble 1
Stephen Fleming c A Vijay b Vijay Bharadwaj 4
P Wiseman c J Arun Kumar b Sunil Joshi 6
C Drum not out 1
Extras (b-1, lb-12): 13
Total: 105
Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-35, 3-36, 4-48, 5-78, 6-78, 7-85, 8-96, 9-98, 10-105.
Bowling: D Ganesh 14-3-41-3, Mansur Ali Khan 4-2-11-0, Vijay R Bharadwaj 4-1-14-1, Anil Kumble 10-5-09-2, Sunil Joshi 15.5-7-17-4.

Karnataka (2nd innings):
Sujith Somasundar c C Hharris b P Wiseman 19
J Arun Kumar c C Spearman b C Cairns 4
Rahul Dravid c A Parore b C Drum 18
Vijay R Bharadwaj not out 33
V S Thilak Naidu not out 7
Extras (lb-1, nb-4): 5
Total (for three wickets): 86
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-43, 3-56.
Bowling: Chris Cairns 3-1-08-1, A Penn 4-0-24-0, C Drum 6-3-05-1, Paul Wiseman 6-1-33-1, Chris Harris 1.4-0-15-0.

UNI