Shubham slams ton as climate continues to mar MP-Karnataka tie

Captain Shubham Sharma led from the entrance for Madhya Pradesh within the Ranji Trophy match in opposition to Karnataka in Indore.
| Photograph Credit score: N.SUDARSHAN

Indore: Climate continued to mar the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy Elite Group C opener between Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka as dangerous gentle and rain introduced an early finish to day three on the Holkar Stadium right here on Sunday.

After Saturday was deserted and not using a ball being bowled, clear skies, superb sunshine and a small vacation crowd welcomed the gamers.

However of the scheduled 98 overs, solely 57 may very well be bowled as gentle worsened with 20 minutes left for tea earlier than two rounds of rain ushered within the shut. At stumps, Madhya Pradesh was 425 for eight in its first innings.

So long as gamers had been on the sector, the hosts had been firmly in management. Skipper Shubham Sharma, who had retired harm on day one on 40, returned on the fall of Venkatesh Iyer’s wicket and went on to notch up his ninth First-Class ton (143 batting, 243b, 13×4, 2×6).

The 30-year-old exhibited all the essential tenets of long-format batting — tidy in his defence, taking part in near his physique and all the time to the pitch of the ball.

Karnataka, the truth is, opened proceedings strongly as speedster V. Vyshak had Venkatesh caught at gully within the second over of the day.

Harpreet Singh Bhatia, who started on 75, hung round for some time earlier than V. Koushik castled him (266/6).

Nevertheless, Shubham and Saransh Jain (51, 128b, 4×4) blunted the Karnataka assault.

Vyshak and Koushik operated in tandem within the searing warmth for greater than 90 minutes and bowled admirably tight traces. However a breakthrough was elusive.

Prasidh’s absence felt

Karnataka dearly missed lead pacer Prasidh Krishna, who didn’t take the sector. The 28-year-old, who made his return from a quadriceps damage within the Duleep Trophy final month, had walked off the park on day one after bowling simply eight overs, seemingly in discomfort on what was a barely soggy and slippery outfield.

Shubham and Saransh placed on 131 runs for the seventh wicket, a partnership which most likely will make sure that Karnataka will get not more than a degree from the sport.

The scores:

Madhya Pradesh – 1st innings: Yash Dubey c Sateri b Hardik 20, Himanshu Mantri lbw b Prasidh 0, Subhransu Senapati c Sateri b Vyshak 28, Shubham Sharma (batting) 143, Harpreet Singh Bhatia b Koushik 91, Rajat Patidar c sub b Koushik 31, Venkatesh Iyer c Smaran b Vyshak 26, Saransh Jain c Sateri b Nikin 51, Kumar Kartikeya c Nikin b Hardik 13, Avesh Khan (batting) 2; Extras (b-13, lb-5, w-1, nb-1): 20; Complete (for eight wkts. in 140 overs): 425.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-37, 3-65, 4-184, 5-233, 6-266, 7-397, 8-416.

Karnataka bowling: Koushik 36-10-78-2, Prasidh 8-1-20-1, Vyshak 30-6-83-2, Hardik 24-3-79-2, Shreyas 30-4-116-0, Nikin 11-2-26-1, Padikkal 1-0-5-0.