Rao's 7/82 helps Chhattisgarh dismiss Karnataka for 418 in Ranji Trophy

Seamer Pankaj Rao returned with a seven-wicket haul to dismiss Karnataka for 418 before Chhattisgarh reached 121-3 at stumps on the second day of the Group A Ranji Trophy match at Alur on Monday.

Rao, who had ended the first day with good figures of four for 38, picked up three more scalps on day two to end up with excellent figures of seven for 82.

After centurion D Nischal (107) was dismissed on the first ball of the morning on Monday, R Vinay Kumar anchored the team, hitting an unbeaten 90.

In reply, Chhattisgarh made a disastrous start as they were reduced to 25-3 in 7 overs before Amadeep Khare (43) and Harpreet Singh (53) doled the visitors out of the woods by stitching an unbeaten 96 runs partnership for fourth wicket.

The visitors are trailing Karnataka by 297 rns with seven wickets in hands.

Earlier, Vinay stitched 53-run partnership with Abhimanyu Mithun (17) for ninth wicket and then added 68 runs with Ronit More for the last wicket.

Resuming at an overnight score of 272 for four, Karnataka soon lost Nischal on his overnight knock of 107 runs, after he was cleaned up by Rao.

The Hosts also lost Srinivas Sharath (1) and Gowtham (15) cheaply.

Later Abhimanyu Mithun wrecked havoc on Chhattisgarh's top order, returning with superb figures of three for 26 in eight overs.

He first cleaned up opener Avnish Dhaliwal (16) and then had Manoj Singh (4) caught by wicketkeeper Sharath, and later trapped Anuj Tiwari (4) leg before the wicket.

Struggling at 25 for three, Khare and Harpreet then shouldered the responsibility of taking the total to a respectful position.

Brief scores: