da 888： Karnataka today completed a comprehensive nine-wicket win over Goa atthe Dr
Anand Vasu02-Dec-2000Karnataka today completed a comprehensive nine-wicket win over Goa atthe Dr. Rajendra Prasad Stadium at Margao. This leaves them on 24points this season and means that they advance to the knock out stage.When they began the day, the visiting side were comfortably placed at25 for no loss chasing a modest target of 119. The Karnataka openers JArunkumar and Mithun Beerala combined well to push the score along.The pair looked as though they would be together when the winning runswere scored but this was not to be. Just four runs short of thehundred run mark, former Tamil Nadu cricketer Satyajit Medappa hadArunkumar caught by Rane. Arunkumar had played his part to the hilt,making 55 off just 57 balls. Known for his strokemaking, Arunkumarstruck the ball to the fence ten times in his 69 minute essay.If Goa harboured any hopes of troubling the visitors further, theywere unfounded. Barrington Rowland (15 not out) joined youngsterBeerala 38 not out (76 balls, 5 fours) and the two saw Karnatakathrough to a nine wicket victory.Speaking to the press after the match, Karnataka manager and formerIndia stumper Syed Kirmani said, “We were in the dumps after we lostagainst Kerala, but our boys fought back and rose to the occassion.Our bowlers Dodda Ganesh and Manzoor Ali Khan ripped open the Goansecond innings to ensure us the outright win after Barrington Rowlandand Akhil batted well to give us the first innings lead.”On a different note, Goa captain and former India cricketer PravinAmre said that it was the batting department that let the home teamdown. He attributed this to the lack of match practice prior to thestart of the Ranji Trophy season.