Kanpur, November 17: Karnataka continued their dominant ways with the bat. This time it was the turn of Uttar Pradesh to feel the heat as Karnataka surged ahead on the opening day of their Group A Ranji Trophy clash in Kanpur on Friday (November 17).
Karnataka made 327 for three at close with four of their batsmen making fluent half centuries.
Debutant D Nischal (90 batting, 221b, 13x4) was the stone around Karnataka build their edifice. Nischal ground out UP bowlers after openers Ravikumar Samarth and Mayank Agarwal added 66 runs.
Agarwal, who cracked back-to-back triple hundred and hundred, looked in ominous touch en route his 90 off just 73 balls that contained 16 hits to the fence.
Agarwal who hid his aggressive self in previous knocks put on the familiar garb as the hosts wilted soon.
ಮೊದಲ ದಿನದ ಅಂತ್ಯ - End of Day 1 - Karnataka: 327/3, 90 overs. Dega Nischal 90 (13x4s) & Manish Pandey 63 (9x4s, 1x6s). #UPvKAR #RanjiTrophy
— Karnataka Ranji Team (@RanjiKarnataka) November 17, 2017
Agarwal and Nischal stitched together 55 runs for the second wicket before the former was dismissed by Akshdeep Nath, the most economical of UP bowlers on the day.
His dismissal followed another fruitful stand, this time between Nischal and Karun Nair (62, 123b, 8x4) for the third wicket. They added 115 runs in a stand dominated by Karun.
Dhruv Pratap Singh castled Karun to snap the alliance but that was just a temporary relief for the hosts. Nischal in the company of an aggressive Manish Pandey (63 batting, 79b, 9x4, 1x6) realised 91 runs for the unfinished fourth wicket alliance to keep the hosts on the sword.