Karnataka enters Semifinals - Karuna Shines

Karnataka State women’s cricket team beat Mumbai C A by virtue of the first innings lead and entered the semi finals of the Senior women’s Nationals at the RDT Stadium, Anantapur. Karnataka started the day at 6 for no loss and lost Vanitha in the very first over of the day- caught smartly in the gully by India cap Rajeshwari Goyal. There- after, Karuna Jain and Sindhu fought hard against a disciplined Mumbai attack putting on 41 runs off 34.5 overs before Sindhu tried to step out and loft but was stumped off Rajeshwari Goel. Karnataka lost Deepika Babu in the next over and once again it was Mamata and Karuna trying to help Karnataka out of trouble. The pair had put on 37 runs from 117 balls when Mamta was adjudged LBW. Karnataka lost Vilasini, Veda and Neetu Singh – 121 for 7 from 77.2 overs. Left hander Sneha Prasanna walked in to join Karuna Jain in the middle. Sneha refused to be bogged down by the situation and played some pleasing drives and cuts to ease the pressure. She also ran hard for Karuna who was fighting very hard and had kept her end. Finally Karnataka managed to pass the Mumbai first innings score in the 87th over. Karuna Jain was the chief architect of this Karnataka victory. After having kept wickets efficiently ( three victims behind the stumps) for 86 overs she batted through the entire innings of 90 overs and remained unbeaten on 70. She faced 254 balls and scored just 4 boundaries. For Mumbai veteran off spinner Seema Pujare bowled a marathon spell of 35 overs conceding 63 runs and picking 2 wickets while Rajeshwari Goyal bowled 25 overs for 3 wickets. Left arm tweeker Nancy Daruwala bowled 13 overs to end with 2 for 20.

Brief Scores : Mumbai C A 151 all out Karnataka ( O/N 6 for no loss ) 163 for 7 in 90 overs : Karuna Jain 70 not out, Sindhu 21, Mamata 21, Sneha Prasanna 21 not out, Rajeshwari goyal 3 for 52, Seema Pujare 2 for 63, Nancy Daruwala 2 for 20.