By Patitosh Pramanik
KARUN Nair continued his dominant show this season with another century and two big partnerships as Vidarbha posted 264 for six on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy quarter-final match against Tamil Nadu at VCA Civil Lines on Saturday.
Nair was unbeaten on 100 in company of Harsh Dubey who was on 19 when the stumps were drawn for the day.
Nair hit his third Ranji century of the season, 22nd overall, as Vidarbha recovered from a precarious 44-3 in the morning. Nair also had two fruitful partnerships, first with talented Danish Malewar (75) of 98 runs for the fourth wicket and then for the sixth wicket with Vidarbha skipper Akshay Wadkar (24) of 64 runs which tilted the day’s play in the hosts’ favour.
Vidarbha once again had a poor start as they lost Athrava Taide for a 10-ball duck. The hosts surprised all, sending seamer Aditya Thakare as one down batter in an attempt to see off the first hour. But the bowler could stay in the middle for only 31 minutes as he ballooned a simple catch to Tamil Nadu captain Sai Kishore off pacer Sonu Yadav.
Dhruv Shorey managed to hit five boundaries for his 26 runs but he was caught beautifully by Vijay Shankar off his own bowling as Vidarbha reeled at 44-3 in the 16th over.
Danish Malewar and Karun Nair then started the repair job. Nair, who had slammed a century in Vidarbha’s last match against Hyderabad, played with maturity and supported Malewar who looked a bit aggressive. Malewar’s innings of 75 had 13 boundaries and all were praiseworthy. He got a life when wicketkeeper N Jagadeesan dropped him off M Mohammaed when on 56. Nair stood calm at the other end and kept building the partnership with singles and doubles. Malewar scored his boundaries through beautiful cover drives, elegant backfoot punches and straight drives which pleased all. Nair, too, got into the groove. The fuller balls were dispatched to straight and cover boundaries while short deliveries were pulled towards midwicket or fine leg fence by the Vidarbha professional.
Tamil Nadu’s Vijay Shankar was in for some stick from Malewar as he hit eight boundaries off his bowling. Their partnership of 98 runs for the fourth wicket ended when Malewar missed a Shankar bouncer and mistimed his shot to give M Mohammed a simple catch at mid-on.
Nair kept rooted in the middle and hit boundary off a reverse sweep of Mohammed Ali and then completed his half century with a single in 106 balls.
Immediately after hitting his 37th First-Class fifty, Nair swept Sai Kishore as the ball raced towards square leg fence. Captain Akshay Wadkar then gave Nair the company dropping the anchor as Vidarbha took tea at 181-5.
Post tea, both picked runs at ease. Wadkar managed to find enough gaps to hit occasional boundaries. Their 64-run partnership for the sixth wicket was broken when the Vidarbha stumper was caught beautifully by rival keeper Jagadeesan.
Nair adjusted himself well against two left-arm spinners Sai Kishore and Ajith Ram. He played them cautiously picking runs in singles and doubles by pushing the ball into the gaps.
He also played some innovative shots as well as he built his innings. He pedal-swept Sai Kishore for a boundary to reach in the 90s. He then swept Ajith for a four to reach 97 and then took a single on the last ball of the over to keep the strike.
He then took two singles from Ajith’s over to complete his well deserved century.
With Nair unbeaten and hard-hitter Dubey still in the middle, Vidarbha will look to posting a huge total on the morrow when both the batters take fresh guard.
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