Habali: Aqib Nabi in Jammu and Kashmir (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)
Habali: A surface that looked lifeless for most of the first two days came alive on Thursday, not because of any change in conditions, but because of the quality of the bowling. Unlike the Karnataka attack, which needed 173.1 overs to dismiss Jammu and Kashmir for 584 runs in the first innings, the visitors needed just 48.2 overs and 235 minutes to remove half of the home side’s line-up. At stumps on day three of the Ranji Trophy final at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium here, Karnataka were 220/5 in 69 overs, thanks largely to the unbeaten 130 from opener Mayank Agarwal. The eight-time champions, who are 364 points behind, now need a massive batting effort from the remaining line-up to stay in contention. For their part, the J&K bowlers swung cherry red, bowling them over the stumps and away from the seam. They ticked the boxes that the more experienced Karnataka team failed to see. The attack was led by batsman Aqib Nabi (3/32), who combined accuracy and intensity. As the battle lines were drawn for the title tilt, much of the discussion centered on Nabi’s duel with one of Karnataka’s top players who includes four Test batsmen in the mix, and the seamer has lived up to expectations. In a crucial stretch of play that spanned four overs either side of lunch, Nabi removed KL Rahul, Karun Nair and the best player of the season R Samaran, each dismissal coming from deliveries that squeezed the life out of an otherwise docile surface.
Opening the bowling, Nabi immediately put Rahul under pressure by probing full deliveries, occasionally mixing up the short ball. Rahul needed 15 deliveries to get off the mark before briefly finding rhythm with a double off Sunil Kumar. In the end Nabi had the final say, as he delivered a late catch to take a faint advantage to wicket-keeper Kanhaiya Wadhawan. Sunil struck soon after by dismissing Karnataka skipper Devdutt Padikkal.
Padikkal rooted at the crease, tentatively pushed it outside off stump, and Abdul Samad completed the catch with the scraps. Karun Nair followed almost immediately, falling into the birth trap. Naby angled one sharply and Caron misjudged the line, the ball hitting his off-stump. Nabi then completed a devastating spell by removing Samaran, whose uncertain push on a length back delivery led to an outside edge that Wadhawan caught safely. The score was reduced to 57/4, Karnataka were firmly on the defensive, and the packed stadium was silent, except for the celebrations and chirps from J&K. Amidst the collapse, Mayank stood tall. The opener remained calm despite the carnage around him and focused on the long task ahead of him. He was more confident than his teammates, combating the swing by driving well forward and working the ball into the gaps to relieve pressure on the scoreboard. Shreyas Gopal (27) provided support in a steady partnership before being trapped leg before wicket by Yudhvir Singh. Then wicket-keeper Kruthik Krishna (27 runs) joined Mayank, and the duo made sure Karnataka reached the stumps without further damage. With a huge first innings deficit still looming, the home team’s hopes hinge on whether Mayank and the lower order are able to pull off a steal. Earlier, J&K, who started the day at 527/6, added 57 runs to their tally before being dismissed for 584. Pacer Prasidh Krishna finished with a five-wicket haul (5/98).
