Tamil Nadu eliminate Karnataka in semis

Visakhapatnam: Veteran Dinesh Karthik hit a quickfire 41 to help Tamil Nadu outclass Karnataka by seven wickets in a low-scoring Ranji Trophy quarter-final, which finished inside two days at the Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket stadium.

The target of 87 was achieved in 19.3 overs with Karthik, playing his 100th Ranji Trophy game, smashing 41 off 30 balls with five fours and two sixes, in the company of Baba Indrajith, who was unbeaten on 16.

Starting the day on 111 for four, Tamil Nadu lost their six wickets for the addition of 40 runs to be bowled out for 152.

They claimed a first innings lead of 64 runs, which proved vital in the final analysis.

After being bowled out for 88 in their first innings, Karnataka once again disappointed with the bat as they managed just 150 with only KL Rahul managing to go past the 20-run mark.

The right-handed opener, who smashed 199 in the fifth Test against England in Chennai recently, played a superb innings of 77 from 94 balls, to register the only half-century of the match.

That Rahul was a cut above rest was evident in the manner he handled Tamil Nadu's first innings hero Aswin Crist along with Vignesh and Natarajan.

Brief scores: Karnataka: 88 and 150 all out (KL Rahul 77, K Vignesh 4-53, T Natarajan 3-40) lost to Tamil Nadu: 152 and 87-3 (D Karthik 41 not out, B Indrajith 16 not out)
Tanmay strikes form
Meanwhile, in Raipur, Tanmay Agarwal (63 no) and skipper S Badrinath (56) struck half-centuries each to take Hyderabad to 167 for three, still 127 runs adrift of Mumbai's 294, at stumps on day two of their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal clash here today.

Tanmay and Badrinath rescued Hyderabad by adding 105 runs together for the third wicket after they were reduced to 30 for two at one stage with Abhishek Nayar (3/26) striking twice.

Nayar added another wicket to his kitty when he saw off Badrinath for a well made 56 off 137 deliveries, which was studded with nine boundaries and a six.

At the close of play, Sandeep was giving company to Tanmay, whose unbeaten 63 came from 223 balls that included seven hits to the fence.

Brief scores: Mumbai 294 (Siddesh Lad 110, Abhishek Nayar 59, CV Milind 5/80, Mohammad Siraj 4/64) vs Hyderabad 167/3 (Tanmay Agarwal 63no, S Badrinath 56, Abhishek Nayar 3/26)