Pacer More gives Karnataka edge

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Pacer Ronit More ripped apart the Saurashtra middle and lower order with a five-for to give Karnataka an upper hand in their Ranji Trophy semifinals here Friday. Resuming at 264 for nine, Karnataka's first innings folded for 275 with Srinivas Sharath remaining unbeaten on 83.

In reply, the visitors were off to a decent start on the second day but More, who has been Karnataka's go-to man this season, produced devastating spells to reduce them to 227 for seven at stumps, still trailing by 48 runs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Opener Snell Patel produced a solid knock of 85 and later Australia Test series hero Cheteshwar Pujara (45) batted doggedly with Sheldon Jackson (46). More first removed Harvik Desai (16) to break an opening stand of 43 and later added the wicket of Vishvaraj Jadeja (5). A partnership was stitched between Patel and Pujara but leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal removed the opening batsman.

Pujara, when on 1, survived a confident caught-behind appeal, which was turned down by umpire Saiyed Khalid. Pujara later gave a caught and bowled chance to Abhimanyu Mithun, who grabbed it with both hands.

Saurashtra lost three more wickets for addition of mere 49 runs with More dismissing Jackson, Prerak Mankad (0) and Kamlesh Makvana (1) in a jiffy. Arpit Vasavada (26) was at the crease and it was only because of his brisk scoring that Saurashtra crossed the 200-run mark. He has hit four boundaries in his 32-ball knock so far. More, who has a few five-wicket hauls to his credit, has a good chance to claim his career-best figures by contributing in polishing off the Saurashtra tail.

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